Anchorage is for Lovers
by NCChris
Summary: What if Bella didn't fall apart when Edward left her in New Moon? What if she grieved and moved on with her human life? Five years later, she runs into one of the vampires from her past. Will one of the Cullens become more than a friend? AU. Emmett/Bella
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the characters therein. This is my take on their further adventures. Enjoy! In this story, Bella grieved and got over Edward. She is happy and well adjusted. In short, Edward got his wish from New Moon. She moved on with her human life.**

Prologue

**BPOV**

I smiled as I pulled up in front of the tiny apartment building near the University of Alaska in Anchorage. I couldn't wait to begin my new life here. With my grin still firmly in place, I grabbed the first box out of the trunk of my 4x4 rust bucket of a Chevy Blazer. I packed light – living on a student budget for the last 5 years with another 2 in front of you tended to make you value relationships instead of stuff.

I had rented an apartment in the building sight unseen, so it was with a sense of trepidation that I crossed the small parking area and climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor loft apartment. I scrabbled in my pocket for the key that had been mailed to me once I had signed the contract and slid it into the knob. The door swung open with ease and I walked into quite possibly the coolest (and cheapest) loft I had ever had the pleasure of living in. The building had once been a warehouse of some sort, but had been converted into lofts about fifteen years ago.

My loft had once been the office for the warehouse. It was a touch smaller than the others and was the sole apartment on the 3rd floor. The walls were weathered red brick and the floors were distressed native pine. It was perfect. I was stunned yet again at my luck in acquiring it. The price was right and it was within walking distance to campus. Since I had accepted a TA position, I would receive a meager stipend and free tuition in my Archeology Master's program. Living expenses would be paid out of my savings.

I set the box down in what would become my lounge and returned to my truck for the next and final box. As I reached the bottom floor and looked out towards my truck again, I saw the U-Haul pull up driven by Seth Clearwater. He & Embry had agreed to help me move. They had stuck with me even after Jake had imprinted and cut me out of his life 4 years ago.

I smiled and waved as Seth and Embry jumped out of the rented truck. It held the rest of my earthly possessions. Seth bounded across the parking lot and wrapped his arms around me before popping my cheek with a warm brotherly kiss. "Hey, Bella! How's the apartment?" he asked with a grin. "Not bad, Seth. Let's get that stuff unloaded and I'll let you see it!" I replied, returning his grin.

My werewolf pals hopped to it and started dragging furniture up the torturous stairway to my top floor apartment. That was the other drawback, no elevator. I could deal and Seth & Embry didn't really care. They could carry the furniture with no problem.

Three hours later, our work was done. All the furniture was in place and now I just had about 10 boxes to unpack. "Alright, guys, I'm starving and since you guys are always hungry, I'd assume you are, too. Pizza's on me today." I hollered with a smirk at Seth & Embry. I grabbed my cell and called the local Dominoes to have 3 large supreme pizzas delivered. Seth & Embry would eat a large each, so that would hopefully leave me with a few pieces for breakfast in the morning, maybe.

The boys made a quick run to the grocery for me as I started unloading boxes. About 45 minutes later, the pizza arrived and Seth & Embry grabbed beer from the fridge that had been stocked while we waited. We ate, laughed, and carried on for a couple more hours before I kissed them both and watched them climb in the U-haul heading back to La Push.

Alone in my new place, I curled up on the couch and took the last pull off my bottle of beer. I wanted a shower, but was feeling lazy, so I just sat there for a few moments. Just as I was getting ready to get up to head towards my small bathroom, my cell started ringing. I grabbed it and noticed it was a text message from Erika one of the other TAs in my department. I had met her a few months back at a campus visit. We'd hit it off and exchanged phone numbers. Smiling, I hit the menu button to see what was up.

_Party 2nite? Plz? All TAs. ___

_-E_

With a grin, I decided to go. Why not? I was young single and new in town. Quickly I texted her back my response.

_K. When & where? ___

_-B_

A few minutes later I had the details and a quick MapQuest search gave me directions to the address Erika indicated. I decided to shower off the grime. 45 minutes later, I was in the Blazer headed to the party.

I pulled up to the house and made my way inside. It didn't look like Erika had made it there yet, but everyone else in the world apparently had. There were people everywhere, though it looked like the best partying was happening in the fairylight lit backyard and patio. I made my way toward the kitchen and grabbed a drink before continuing on to the patio. There was great music playing and I began to absentmindedly tap my foot to the beat as I scanned the crowd for familiar faces. Finally, I saw a little cluster of TAs from the Archaeology department and made my way over. "Hi, Bella…glad you could come. Erika said she texted the info to you." Jeff said with a grin. I'd met my fellow departmental TAs at the orientation meeting a month ago. Jeff was a nice guy and pretty good looking, if I was being honest. I smiled in return and greeted the others in the group. We stood chatting and getting to know each other a little bit better for a few minutes. Over the course of the conversation, I learned that this party was put on by the dean of the grad school every year to welcome all the departmental TAs.

"Bella, want to dance?" Jeff asked, grabbing my hand. I nodded and let him tow me over to the grass where everyone was dancing. We were having a great time and after a few songs, Jeff went to grab us another drink.

I decided to dance some more by myself, when I heard a smooth velvet voice in my ear. "Bella?" he said, as I whirled around. .God. Five years had not dulled my remembrance of his honeyed tones with just the slightest Texas accent; I completed my turn and standing before me was the lanky frame of Jasper Whitlock Hale.

**JPOV**

I couldn't believe who was standing in front of me; Bella Swan. She was just staring at me speechless; her only emotion was shock. Gradually, I could feel her joy slipping through as she threw herself into my arms and began to laugh. A few years ago, her closeness would have been unbearable, but the events of her 18th birthday had caused me to reevaluate my control issues and I could honestly say that human blood didn't tempt me the way it once had. I surely had her to thank for it.

"Jasper! How the hell are you?" she trilled excitedly, "What are you doing here?" she continued, with a grin. "I'm terrific, really good, Bella. It's great to see you. I'm a TA for the undergrad Abnormal Psych class while I'm working on my Clinical Psych Master's. What about you?" I asked, glad she was apparently as excited to see me and I was to see her. "Well, you know I had a tough final year in Forks, but I'm great now. I've moved on and I'm the TA for Intro Archaeology while I work on my Cultural Anthropology Master's." she replied, "Look at you, all social with the humans." She continued, teasing me lightly. "Yeah, well I've changed over the last 5 years. I owe that to you, Bella. I'm so sorry for what happened on your birthday, but it made me reevaluate my lifestyle and I'm doing really well. No slips for 5 years now." I replied, returning her teasing smile. She nodded and I could feel that she was proud of me.

"Hey, do you want to get out of here and go catch up?" she asked. I shrugged and nodded. Why not? Alice surely had seen me meet her here by now and I knew better than to return home to my hyper pixie of a wife without news to share. I watched as Bella made her way over to another group of TAs and excused herself.

"Follow me, OK? I'm in the green Blazer parked by the road," she said, grabbing my hand and leading me towards the front of the house.

This was turning into an interesting night. I was glad I had decided to come to the party after all.


	2. Reunited and It Feels So Good

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight. I just like to write out the what-ifs…**

**A/N: In this story, the vampires can drink alcohol and feel its effects, so go with me on this, OK? LOL**

Reunited and It Feels So Good

**BPOV**

I was pleasantly nervous as I put the finishing touches on my make-up and hair. I had decided that, in the interest of appearing nonchalant about my impending reunion with the Cullens, I would just wear something normal. I had settled on a pair of skinny jeans, vintage Ramones t-shirt, a few beaded necklaces, and my old beat up black Chucks. It was a very Bella outfit.

Satisfied with myself, I sat on the sofa and cracked open my Intro History of the Inuit Peoples. Jasper was due to pick me up in about 30 minutes, so I figured I would put the time to good use and finish my reading assignment. I was just flipping the last page when I heard the knock on the door. "Come on in, Jasper. It's open." I said, not bothering to yell. I knew he could hear me fine. I wanted to finish up the last page before I left. "Ready, Bella?" he asked. "Yep, one sec, I'm on the last paragraph." I replied, shooting him a quick grin. I flipped the book closed with a flourish, grabbed my bag from beside me and grabbed his outstretched hand.

OK, my present was getting ready to collide with my past. I could handle this; I wasn't a screwed up mess anymore from their leaving. I was doing well for myself and my life was good and happy. This would be a good opportunity to visit some old friends.

"Bella, this is going to be good. We've missed you." Jasper said, obviously sensing my internal monologue. "I know, Jaz. It's just been a long time, you know?" I replied.

We were in the car and headed to their home when Jasper's phone started ringing. He grinned as he checked the caller ID and handed it to me. "Hello?" I said "BELLA!!! OH MY GOD, I'VE MISSED YO SO MUCH!! ARE YOU ON YOR WAY OVER NOW? TELL JASPER TO HURRY UP!" the hyper little pixie was screeching in my ear. "Alice? Alice! Calm down, honey. We're on our way now. I'll see you in a little bit!" I replied, wincing and holding the phone away from my ear and back towards Jasper. He chuckled and hit end before slipping it back into the pocket of his leather jacket.

We drove for about 15 more minutes before pulling off onto a gravel driveway. We had driven through Anchorage and were now on the outskirts of town. I couldn't help the gasp that escaped me as we pulled to a stop in front of a gorgeous cedar home. Home was too modest; this was a mansion. I had forgotten that the Cullens knew how to live in style.

Jasper laughed softly next to me. "Ready?" he asked, again extending his hand towards me. I have to admit, it was still a little weird to be able to have a real friendship with Jasper. His control really was flawless now. "As I'll ever be," I replied with a chuckle.

I took a deep breath as he opened the door and we stepped inside. I was immediately knocked on my ass by a pixie shaped blur with spiky black hair.

Before I could even fully process what had happened, I was yanked back up to my feet and Alice was hugging me and sobbing tearlessly. I couldn't help it, but I burst into tears and was hugging her back as if my life depended on it. Alice, my best friend; I had missed her so much. Hardly a day had gone by where I didn't miss her!

"Bella, Oh Bella! I'm so sorry. I never wanted to leave you. I love you! I've missed you so much!" Alice babbled, still sobbing. "I know, Alice. I love you, too. It's OK. I understand. I'm here now." I sobbed right back to her. We hugged for a few more moments before we calmed down and headed into the living room.

Rosalie, Emmett, and a vampire I didn't know were sitting on the couches. Emmett jumped up from his spot the second I was in sight and scooped me up into a bear hug. "Can't. Breathe. Emmett. Human." I managed to gasp out before he loosened his grip and, laughing, set me back down. "I missed you, Bella," he boomed. "Me, too, Emmett," I gasped in reply. Rose smiled and called shyly, "Hello, Bella." I smiled in return. She continued, "Bella, this is my mate, Tiernan." He smiled in greeting and said, in a beautifully lilting Irish accent, "Hello, Bella. It's a true pleasure to meet you. Everyone has told me so much about you." I reigned in my shock and shot a glance at Emmett, who was busy seriously studying the pattern in the carpeting. I tried for a convincing smile; not quite sure I managed it, but stuttered out, "Nice to meet you, too, Tiernan."

Alice was still holding my hand, and she gave it a little squeeze. "Come on, Bella. Let's go to the rec room downstairs and catch up. Jaz, Em, want to come, too?" she trilled, dragging me towards a staircase leading downstairs. I noticed that Emmett almost catapulted himself out of the living room and made a bee line for the stairs with Jasper following behind.

After a few moments, we were settled on the leather sofas in the rec room. Alice and Jasper were curled up together on the loveseat and I had chosen the sofa to their left. Emmett was standing by the racks of DVDs, presumably looking for one to watch. He grabbed one from the shelf and popped it in the player, plopping down beside me on the sofa.

"What's been going on since I saw you last?" I asked. Alice proceeded to tell me about their current studies in Anchorage and shopping trips and such. Jasper mostly nodded in agreement with whatever his chatterbox wife mentioned. He added in the details of how he worked on his control by forcing himself to interact more with humans daily. He started going to parties and bars. I told him again how proud I was of him. I knew it would not have been easy for him. I looked at Emmett, not sure if he was going to say anything or not.

He smiled at me, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh you know same old, same old. Finished college again; found out I wasn't my wife's soul mate because she found her real one; got divorced." I pulled his big hand into mine and squeezed it comfortingly, "I'm so sorry, Emmett." "S'okay, Bella. It was two years ago. Rose is happier with Tiernan and he's a good guy," he replied, the hint of sadness still in his butterscotch eyes. "Um, guys, where are Edward, Carlisle, & Esme?" I asked, no one had volunteered any info on them, but they certainly weren't here right now.

"Carlisle and Esme are living in Ithaca, NY right now. We're living as students right now, so they decided to take the next few years to themselves. Edward left the family about four and a half years ago. He calls from time to time and he visits a couple times a year." Jasper replied. Alice got that familiar glazed look on her face for a second and then grinned at me. "Bella, Carlisle is going to call Emmett in 15 seconds. Why don't you say hello to him and Esme? They'd love to talk to you." She barely had the words out of her mouth before Emmett's phone began to ring.

Thirty minutes later, I was feeling right at home with my vampire family again. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, & I were all curled up on the couches watching The Howling, and making fun of it.

Alice was curled up with her head in Jasper's lap, as he played with her hair. Emmett had stretched his long frame out on the sofa and I was curled up against his shoulder. I was deep in thought over how Rose could have left Emmett. It just was hard to believe she would just change her mind after more than 70 years together. I noticed Jasper glance over at me, so I tried to reign in my emotions as I turned slightly and mouthed "sorry". He inclined his head slightly and turned his attention back to the movie and Alice.

The movie went off and I stretched and yawned. "Bella, want a ride home? Or you can stay here tonight…" Emmett asked. "A ride would be great, Em. Thanks." I replied. I got up and hugged Alice and Jasper, before following Emmett upstairs. Rose & Tiernan were not in the living room anymore, so I didn't need to say goodnight to them.

Emmett and I drove in silence back to my apartment. He walked me upstairs to my door and turned to leave. He was unusually quiet. "Emmett, do you want to come in for awhile? It's not really late yet. We can talk for a bit if you want to…" I asked, tentatively. He flashed me a grin and replied, "Thanks, Bella. That would be really nice," and followed me inside.

"Make yourself at home, Em. I'm going to grab some water and change clothes." I said, pointing him towards the sofa in the sitting area I had set up. I walked up the loft steps and rummaged in the cardboard box that held my clothing until I came up with a pair of sweats and a tank top.

I headed back down to the main floor. I was about to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, but thought better of it. This might be a liquor conversation, so I grabbed the bottle of vodka from the freezer and a couple of glasses with ice and made my way back to the sitting area.

I poured a healthy amount of vodka into each glass and handed one to Emmett. I sat beside him and tucked my feet underneath me, sipping at the drink. Emmett took a shuddering breath and began:

"Well, I guess you have some questions about Rose and I, eh? It's not a very interesting story, Bells, but here goes. We had just moved back to Ithaca with Carlisle and Esme. Rose and I had been having some issues, but I thought we had worked through them. Anyway, Carlisle had met a vampire at the university hospital. He was working as a paramedic and was also a vegetarian. Carlisle struck up a friendship with him and eventually invited him to go on a weekend hunt with the family. Tiernan wasn't a member of a coven, so he was pretty much on his own and had told Carlisle how lonely he was. The second Rose laid eyes on him, there was a spark. Tiernan moved in eventually with us and six months later, Rose asked for a divorce. I always knew that Rose didn't feel as strongly about me as I did her, but it was still something of a shock when she told me that Tiernan was her soul mate. I gave her the divorce and they married a month later. Alice and Jasper have literally saved me from myself every since. It's better now that it was, but it's hard at night being the fifth wheel. It would probably be worse, except I really like Tiernan and Jaz says their love is really strong. Alice said there's someone out there for me, too, but I'm starting to think there might not be."

My heart was breaking for Emmett. He had always been a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, but it was obvious that his heart just wasn't in it. I had been facing him cross-legged on the sofa as he told his story, but as he finished, I leaned forward to hug him. "Oh, Emmett! I'm so sorry that happened. If you ever need to get away for awhile, come on over. I wish I could do more for you, but I'm here if you need to talk." I whispered to him. If there was anything I could relate to it was the loss of the person you thought you would spend forever with. I had gotten over Edward and I was happy with my life, but I remembered very well the first year or two when random things would set me off. "Thanks, Bella. I knew you'd understand. Listen, it's late. I'm going to get out of your way. Don't be a stranger, OK?" Emmett replied making his way over to the front door again. "Emmett, do you want to stay over here tonight? You can if you need a break…I have a pretty good DVD collection and the cable was hooked up this afternoon. Look in the box marked living room and you'll find my Wii and Wii games. I haven't hooked it up yet, but be my guest." I told him, feeling like he really didn't want to go back home. He smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Bells. It would be nice not to hear them tonight. Go to bed, I'll entertain myself. See you in the morning." I pecked him on the cheek and headed to my comfy bed.

I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	3. Friends With Benefits?

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie owns all things Twilight. Big & Rich, Flyleaf, Madonna, Josh Turner, Sophie B. Hawkins, & Carolina Liar all own their respective songs. I own nothing of consequence. My vamps can drink and get drunk, so bear with me on that. Enjoy!**

Friends…with benefits?

**EmPOV**

Maybe I should start paying Bella some rent? I was definitely staying over here on her sofa playing Wii & watching TV more than I was at my house. Bella was really trying to help me through the whole Rose/Tiernan debacle. I mean, I wasn't exactly an empty shell or anything. No, that had been two years ago, but I still was not loving the PDAs and hearing their nightly activities. It really took a toll on a guy, ya know?

Bella had become a really good friend over the past couple of months. She'd been through a bad break up, so I guess she could sympathize. She'd come a long way from the shy clumsy Bella I had known five years ago. She was still tiny, but really, who wasn't compared to me, but she wasn't shy anymore. She knew who she was and she wasn't ashamed of it. She had matured and wasn't clumsy anymore, either. She was just really cool and I was having a blast getting to know her as a person and not just as my stupid brother's girlfriend.

Jaz and Alice were after me to get her over to the house tonight. They wanted to party. Jasper was one hell of a bartender and the Karaoke machine hadn't been used in awhile. Bella would wake up in a little bit, so I figured I'd ask her while she was drinking the all important first cup of coffee. With that in mind, I headed to her kitchen to start the pot brewing. Hey, I wasn't above a little sucking up if it meant partying with her later…

**BPOV**

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Emmett said before pouncing on me. I cautiously opened one eye and nearly had a heart attack when his beautiful ocher eyes were staring back at me. "Mornin', Em," I mumbled, still half asleep, "Is that coffee?" "Yes, ma'am. I aim to please," he drawled with just a hint of his old Tennessee mountain smoothness, as he handed me the steaming cup. "Mmmm, perfect. Thanks, Em," I replied, taking a sip, "So what's on the agenda today?" I continued, shifting to sit up cross-legged on the bed.

"Well, Jaz and Alice want us to come over tonight and party. They miss you and want to hang out. What do you think?" he asked with a hopeful smile. Shit, I was a sucker for that dimpled grin! What the hell, Bella?? This is Emmett, not some piece of meat!

"Ok, Emmett. Tell them that sounds great to me. I have to head over to the library for awhile this morning, but I'll head over there around 8." I replied. Before he could say anything else, my cell started beeping on the nightstand. I grabbed it and saw a text from Alice.

_C U at 8. BYOB. Can't wait! XO – A_

We both laughed. Can't bet against the pixie! Cullen parties tended to get pretty wild seeing as how alcohol was the only "human" thing they could still fully enjoy. Still laughing I shooed him out of the room, so I could take a quick shower and get dressed.

I headed downstairs about 30 minutes later to see Emmett sprawled out on my sofa watching a lacrosse match on ESPN. "See you later, Em. I'm heading to campus. Lock up when you leave, OK?" I called over my shoulder as I headed to the front door. "K, Bells. See ya later at the house," he replied as I shut the door behind me.

Cursing softly as I glanced at my phone to check the time, I gathered up my things and headed to the circulation desk to check out a couple of the books I was still working on for my paper on Inuit legends and myths.

I had lost track of time and it was now 6pm. That only gave me about an hour and a half to shower, dress, and hit the store for party supplies to get over to the party. I hauled ass back to my apartment and dropped the books onto my desk.

I stripped off my cutoff jeans and tank top en route to the shower. Standing under the hot spray, I let my mind wander as I scrubbed my hair and body. I was pondering my new friendship with Emmett. He was a really cool guy. I was glad I'd gotten the chance to really know him this time around. Edward always keep me so separated from his family, except for Alice, and I think if he could have kept her away he would have. Our relationship had been about possession and obsession. I hadn't seen it at the time. I was so young and naïve. I had grown up a lot in the last five years. I was proud of whom I had become and the direction my life had taken. I'd spent a year getting over Edward, but get over him I had. I was a better person for having gone through that relationship, but it didn't define me anymore. As I was rinsing off, a picture of Emmett's 1000 watt dimpled smile flashed in front of my eyes. Man, would I like to kiss that grin! Whoa, Bella, where did that come from?? He's my _friend_, right? I mentally shrugged off the thought and chalked it up to hormones, as I stepped out of the shower and brushed my teeth.

I decided to dress a little bit for the party, but keep it comfy and my style, so I grabbed a pair of black leggings, a jean skirt, gray knit top, a stripped scarf, and some black flats. I rubbed some texturizer into my hair and blew it dry into messy waves, slicked on some lip gloss and brushed on some mascara. I grabbed my bag and keys and headed to the store.

I glanced at my phone to check the time and saw that it was 7:15. Got to get a move on, Swan. So I grabbed a bottle of vodka, some cranberry juice, a 2 liter ginger ale, and 2 six packs of Red Bull. I didn't know if they liked Asshole Boyfriends (really, who does?? lol), but I do, so I paid and put the supplies in the back seat. It was now 7:45. Shit, I was going to be late.

I was just pulling up to the door, when I saw Emmett standing on the front stoop. He waved as I parked the car. I smiled in return and hopped out to grab the bags from the backseat. He took the bags from me and grabbed my hand after spinning me around in a quick hug. We made our way into the house and headed to the rec room. Rose and Tiernan were playing pool. Alice was flipping through the Karaoke song list and Jasper was flipping bottles behind the bar. Damn vampire coordination!

"Hey, guys!" I said, as we entered the room. Emmett headed over to the bar and plopped the bag of goodies down. Jaz started rummaging through my choices and with an evil grin drawled, "Bella, Asshole Boyfriend? Nice choice!" "Well, you know I have experience!" I replied with a grin. Rose snapped her head up at the comment and laughed, nodding appreciatively. Emmett started laughing and would have choked had he been able.

Everyone started drifting over to the bar. Tiernan & Emmett grabbed a beer each, & Alice grabbed a Woodchuck cider. Jasper looked at me and raised an eyebrow in question. "Asshole Boyfriend, Jaz. Drink 'em if ya got 'em. Give Rose one, too. No offense, Tiernan!" I replied. Tiernan chuckled and replied in his lilting brogue, "None taken, Bella." Jasper was quick; got to love that vampire speed!

Drink firmly in hand; I started drifting towards the Karaoke machine song list that Alice was again poring over. I dropped my head on her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "Hey, Ali. Anything good on there?" I asked. "Sure, Bella, but we're not drunk enough just yet. It'll be better later!" she replied with a twinkle in her eye, "Go play pool with Emmett." Jasper had walked up behind us, beer in hand, and pulled me in for a brotherly hug before pushing me towards the pool table and leaning down to whisper in Alice's ear.

Em was just racking up the balls when I walked over and laid a hand on his arm. "Hey Em, want a partner?" I asked. "Sure, Bells. Want to break?" he replied with that dimpled grin I loved. I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my scarf. Dropping them on a stool by the wall, I grabbed a cue and chalked the tip. Satisfied, I leaned over the table lining up my shot. "Um, Bella?" Emmett mumbled. "Yeah, Em?" I replied, glancing over my shoulder. Emmett was standing behind me and he was definitely checking out my ass as I leaned over the table. WTF? "You look really nice tonight," he muttered softly. "Thanks," I whispered and turned back to my shot. Three drinks later, I sank the eight ball winning the game. We hung our cues back on the wall rack and drifted over to the sofas where everyone was now gathered around the karaoke song list. I guess we were all drunk enough now…

Everyone took turns flipping through the list while Alice wrote 1 – 6 one little slips of paper and tossed them into Jasper's cowboy hat (which she had grabbed off his head only a moment before, ignoring his protests). "OK, everybody grab a slip of paper, but don't show it yet!" she commanded. We all obediently grabbed a slip while passing the hat around.

Jasper had pulled lucky number 1, Rose was #2, Tiernan #3, I was #4, Alice was 5th, and Emmett rounded us out at #6. We decided the girls would pick the guys' songs and vice versa, so Rose, Alice, & I gathered around the song list while the guys grabbed more drinks. After much deliberation, we settled on the songs and keyed Jaz's up on the machine.

The first couple of notes sounded and he broke into a huge grin as he recognized the song. He began in a smooth baritone:

_Well, I walk into the room  
Passing out hundred dollar bills  
And it kills and it thrills like the horns on my Silverado grill  
And I buy the bar a double round of crown  
And everybody's getting down  
An' this town ain't never gonna be the same._

(Chorus:)  
Cause I saddle up my horse  
And I ride into the city  
I make a lot of noise  
Cause the girls  
They are so pretty  
Riding up and down Broadway  
On my old stud Leroy  
And the girls say  
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.  
Everybody says  
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

Well I don't give a dang about nothing  
I'm singing and Bling- Blanging  
While the girls are drinking  
Long necks down!  
And I wouldn't trade ol' Leroy  
Or my Chevrolet for your Escalade  
Or your freak parade  
I'm the only John Wayne left in this town

And I saddle up my horse  
And I ride into the city  
I make a lot of noise  
Cause the girls  
They are so pretty  
Riding up and down Broadway  
On my old stud Leroy  
And the girls say  
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.  
Everybody says  
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

(Spoken:)  
I'm a thourough-bred  
That's what she said  
In the back of my truck bed  
As I was gettin' buzzed on suds  
Out on some back country road.  
We where flying high  
Fine as wine, having ourselves a big and rich time  
And I was going, just about as far as she'd let me go.  
But her evaluation  
Of my cowboy reputation  
Had me begging for salvation  
All night long  
So I took her out giggin frogs  
Introduced her to my old bird dog  
And sang her every Willie Nelson song I could think of

And we made love  
And I saddle up my horse  
And I ride into the city  
I make a lot of noise  
Cause the girls  
They are so pretty  
Riding up and down Broadway  
On my old stud Leroy  
And the girls say  
Save a horse, ride a cowboy.  
Everybody says  
Save a horse, Ride a cowboy

What? What?  
Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy  
Everybody says  
Save a Horse Ride a cowboy.

_(Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy – Big & Rich)_

We all whooped and hollered through the song. Jasper grinned like an idiot the whole song before tossing his cowboy hat to Alice at the end. It was the most relaxed and happy I had ever seen him. He really had changed for the better over the last 5 years. I was happy for him; he deserved peace. I thought about what he'd told me all those years ago; he was worth it, too.

I got up after he finished and wandered back over to the bar to grab a Woodchuck cider. The guys were now choosing our songs since Rose was up next. I was just standing there sipping my cider when Rose came over and sat down on the bar stool next to mine. "Hey, Bella. They look happy don't they? It's been a long time since we were all happy, especially Emmett. I'm glad you're here, Bella. He needed a friend. Take care of him for me, OK?" she said, then not waiting for a reply, she drifted back over to the sofas and waited patiently for the guys to decide on our songs. I stood for a moment gaping at her back and then filed it away to analyze later as the guys came to a decision and keyed up Rose's song. She began to sing in a clear soprano:

_My hands are searching for you  
My arms are outstretched towards you  
I feel you on my fingertips  
My tongue dances behind my lips for you_

This fire runs in through my being  
Burning I'm not used to seeing you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

My hands float up above me  
And you whisper you love me  
And I begin to fade  
Into our secret place

The music makes me sway  
The angels singing say we are alone with you  
I am alone and they are too with you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

And so I cry  
The light is white  
And I see you

I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

Take my hand  
I give it to you  
Now you own me  
All I am  
You said you would never leave me  
I believe you  
I believe

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healed

_(All Around Me – Flyleaf)_

We all clapped when she was done and she took a bow, laughing at our antics. Next up was Tiernan, so she plopped back down and he took the stage, so to speak…

_Soulmate  
Until the end of time  
You're my soulmate  
I'll love you till I get to heaven's gate  
And if I go first sweetheart  
I'll wait  
'Cause I know I'll never find another  
Soulmate__[Chorus:]__  
In this day and time  
The right one is hard to find  
Girl, that's why I'm holding on to you  
Each and every night  
When we turn out the light  
There's no mistaking what we have is true__[Repeat Chorus:]_

Your love  
There's no telling where I'd be  
Without your love  
Stumbling in the dark  
Would be pretty rough  
When I get down you're the one  
That lifts me up  
I thank the Lord above  
For your love

Soulmate  
I hope that we grow old together  
Soulmate  
In the good and bad  
Even through the heartache  
We've got a special bond  
That'll never break  
'Cause darling you and I are  
Soulmates

Soulmate  
Until the end of time  
You're my soulmate  
I'll love you till I get to  
Heaven's gate  
We've got a special bond  
That'll never break  
'Cause darling you and I are  
Soulmates  
Yeah, I know I'll never find another  
Soulmate

_(Soulmate – Josh Turner)_

It was really sweet actually; he only had eyes for Rose the whole time he was singing. When he finished, she launched herself into his arms and they made their way back over to the sofa still clinging to each other. Sighing, I stood and gulped down the rest of my drink for courage before beginning:

_That old dog has chained you up all right  
Give you everything you need  
To live inside a twisted cage  
Sleep beside in empty rage  
I had a dream I was your hero_

Damn I wish I was your lover  
I'd rock you till the daylight comes  
Make sure you are smiling and warm  
I am everything  
Tonight I'll be your mother  
I'll do such things to ease your pain  
Free your mind and you won't feel ashamed  
Open up gonna come inside  
Gonna fill you up  
Make you cry

This monkey can't stand to see you black and blue  
I give you something sweet each time you  
Come inside my jungle book  
It's just too good  
Don't say you'll stay  
'Cause then you go away

Damn I wish I was your lover  
I'll rock you till the daylight comes  
Make sure you are smiling and warm  
I am everything  
Tonight I'll be your mother  
I'll do such things to ease your pain  
Free your mind and you won't feel ashamed  
Shucks  
For me there is no other  
You're the only shoe that fits  
I can't imagine I'll grow out of it  
Damn I wish I was your lover

If I was your girl believe me  
I'd turn on the Rolling Stones  
We could groove along and feel much better  
Let me in  
I could do it forever and ever, ever n' ever  
Give me an hour to kiss you  
Walk through heaven's door I'm sure  
We don't need no doctor to feel much better  
Let me in  
Forever and ever and ever and ever

I sat on the mountainside with peace of mind  
I lay by the ocean making love to you with visions clear  
Walked for days with no one near  
And I return as chained and bound to you

Damn I wish I was your lover  
I'll rock you till the daylight comes  
Make sure you are smiling and warm  
I have everything  
Tonight I'll be your mother  
I'll do such things to ease your pain  
Free your mind and you won't feel ashamed  
Shucks for me there is no other  
You're the only shoe that fits  
I can't imagine I'll grow out of it  
Damn I wish I was your lover  
Open up gonna come inside  
Gonna fill you up  
Make you cry

_(Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover – Sophie B Hawkins)_

I tried, I really did, to not just sing to Emmett, but it was something of a lost cause. When I would tear my eyes away from him, I could feel his burning into me. I couldn't deny that I was starting to fall for him, but I was scared. He had been hurt and so had I. I wasn't sure if I could do this again. The song ended and I tried to play it off by taking a little bow and smirking around at everyone, but I felt like I had just laid my soul bare in front of them. Alice & Jasper smirked at me as Alice got up to sing:

_Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me  
I think they're O.K.  
If they don't give me proper credit  
I just walk away__[Chorus:]__[chorus]__[repeat]__[chorus]_

They can beg and they can plead  
But they can't see the light, that's right  
'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash  
Is always Mister Right, 'cause we are

Living in a material world  
And I am a material girl  
You know that we are living in a material world  
And I am a material girl

Some boys romance, some boys slow dance  
That's all right with me  
If they can't raise my interest then I  
Have to let them be

Some boys try and some boys lie but  
I don't let them play  
Only boys who save their pennies  
Make my rainy day, 'cause they are

Living in a material world (material)  
Living in a material world

Boys may come and boys may go  
And that's all right you see  
Experience has made me rich  
And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's

A material, a material, a material, a material world

Living in a material world (material)  
Living in a material world

_(Material Girl – Madonna)_

By the end of Alice's song, the awkwardness had passed. We hooted and hollered as Alice hammed it up. She was definitely a material girl. I heard Jasper whisper in her ear as he pulled her down onto his lap, "My Material Girl", before crushing his lips to hers. We were all starting to feel our drinks by this point. Rose cued up Emmett's song as he grabbed the microphone:

_Wait, I'm wrong  
Should've done better than this  
Please, I'll be strong  
I'm finding it hard to resist_

So show me what I'm looking for

Save me, I'm lost  
Oh Lord I've been waiting for you  
I'll pay any cost  
Save me from being confused  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Oh Lord

Don't let go  
I've wanted this far too long  
Mistakes become regrets  
I've learned to love abuse  
Please show me what I'm looking for

Save me, I'm lost  
Oh Lord I've been waiting for you  
I'll pay any cost  
Save me from being confused  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Oh Lord

Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for

Save me, I'm lost  
Oh Lord I've been waiting for you  
I'll pay any cost  
To save me from being confused  
Wait, I'm wrong  
I can't do better than this  
I'll pay any cost  
Save me from being confused

Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Oh Lord

_(Show Me What I'm Looking For – Carolina Liar)_

Emmett didn't even try to hide the fact that he was singing to me. His ocher eyes burned into mine and my heart began to race. Everyone in the room disappeared and it was just Emmett singing to me in that moment.

I launched myself off the sofa the second the song ended. I needed some space, this was too intense. I practically ran over to the bar and grabbed a shot glass and the Southern Comfort. I knocked the shot back and felt its steadying warmth hit my stomach. I'd regret all this alcohol in the morning, but I wasn't drunk. I sighed softly and leaned against the counter, eyes closed, trying to steady myself before going back out.

"Bella…" he said from the doorway.

**EmPOV**

She was leaned against the bar counter and she looked like she was having a major internal struggle. Shit, I did that. I pushed and she wasn't ready. Fuck!

"Bella…" I said softly, crossing over to her, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…" She looked up and crushed her lips to mine, effectively cutting off my thought processes. I couldn't have told her my name at that point. All I could think about was her warm soft lips on mine, her sexy body pressed up against mine, fitting together like we were made for each other, and the sexy moan that came from deep in her throat as my tongue touched hers.


	4. Taking It Slow Is For Wimps

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie owns all things Twilight. I own nothing of consequence. Enjoy!**

Taking It Slow Is For Wimps

_All I could think about was her warm soft lips on mine, her sexy body pressed up against mine, fitting together like we were made for each other, and the sexy moan that came from deep in her throat as my tongue touched hers._

**EmPOV**

I wasn't thinking, only reacting, as I lifted her to sit on the countertop and fit myself between her, now parted, thighs. I broke off the kiss moving down to the hollow behind her ear as she gasped in a quick breath and moaned my name. Her hands were twisted up in my hair as she pulled my head back up and captured my mouth again with hers.

I had to touch her, get closer to her somehow. I slid my hand up her thigh to her hip; the only thing between my hand and her warm supple flesh was her thin cotton leggings. My other hand was caressing the warm soft skin of her lower back where her shirt had ridden up. It was complete sensory overload. She tasted like Southern Comfort and strawberries. God, it was so good! A low soft growl built in my chest as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

"Oh, shit! Sorry…shit!" Tiernan practically shouted as he stumbled upon our display. I jumped back from Bella and she hopped off the counter and brushed past him at a run. I stood there like a statue, trying to get the venom to flow back to my brain and away from the other appendage that I had been thinking with a moment earlier. "So, I'm just going to…yeah." Tiernan mumbled, as he hauled ass back to the lounge.

I stood there a moment longer trying to regain some semblance of control before the self-loathing hit me. What the hell was I doing? That was Bella! Bella for christsake! I had to fix this. I didn't want to lose her, I had just figured out how much I liked hanging around with her!

I sighed and made my way back to the lounge. Everybody had disappeared, so I wandered over to the TV and popped in a DVD. I had to do some serious damage control, but what? I felt a wave of calm wash over me. I looked up and saw Jaz leaning against the pool table.

He crossed over and dropped into the chair opposite me. "She's upstairs with Ali bawling her eyes out, man," he drawled. "Fuck, Jaz, how do I fix this?" I asked, dejectedly. "You take your big ass up there and you make sure she knows how you feel. Right now she thinks she threw herself at you and she feels like a whore," he replied, "but we both know how you feel about her. This isn't just physical for you, Em. She makes you happy; shit, she makes you feel human again. Grab that happiness, man. You both deserve it. Now, I'm going to go upstairs and calm her down, and then I'm going to take Ali to bed. Don't fuck this up, man." I nodded as he stood up and left. I watched a few more minutes of the movie, not really paying attention, but trying to give Jasper some time to finish talking to her before I made my way up there. Standing, I sighed and climbed the stairs at human speed. Time to tell her what she meant to me and hope she didn't stomp on my heart in the process.

As I reached the main level of the house, Alice was standing there tapping her foot in aggravation. "Emmett McCarty Cullen, she needs to know that this meant something to you. Now you listen up! She's worked herself up until she's going to be sick from the nerves. Jasper is with her, but he's leaving now, so you march yourself up those stairs and you take care of her tonight. She loves you, Emmett, and you love her, too. So both of you need to figure this out!" and with that she stomped her foot, turned on her heel, and bounded up the steps. I heard her and Jasper go into their room. I could hear Bella sniffling, but no longer crying, from my room.

**BPOV**

Could I possibly have any more tears left in my body? I had already ruined Alice's shirt and now poor Jasper was rocking me and trying to help me sort through this giant mess I had created. Gradually, my tears slowed to a stop and I mumbled a thank you to Jasper. You know, having an empath for a brother and friend really did have its advantages.

"Go be with Ali, Jasper. I'll be OK. I need a few minutes to think alone anyway." I managed to croak. He tilted my face up to his to peer into my eyes and laid a kiss on my cheek before nodding and slipping quietly out the door. I heard Alice speak softly to him and then their bedroom door closing.

I sat up a little too quickly on the bed and the room did a sickening spin. I lurched out of the room and made it to the en suite bathroom just in time. I was retching at the porcelain god when I felt strong cool hands brushing my hair back from my face. Christ, could this night get any worse? Now I had kissed him and almost puked on him all in the space of 45 minutes! I slid down and laid my head against the cool tile of the bathroom floor and closed my eyes, willing him to be gone again when I opened them.

Unfortunately, when I opened them up again a few minutes later, he was simply sitting on the floor next to me, holding a glass of water and some Advil. I groaned in embarrassment and closed my eyes again. "Bella, honey, don't do that OK? I don't want you to be embarrassed," he murmured, as he scooped me up, as if I weighed no more than a feather, and carried me back to his room.

He gently laid me on the bed and pulled a blanket from the shelf in his closet to cover me with. My face was hot and swollen from crying and, though I certainly wasn't drunk, I felt like complete shit after my crying jag. He had put the glass of water and Advil on the table by the bed, so I sat up and took the pills, chasing them down with the cool water, before lying back down.

"I'm sorry, Emmett. I must look like hell right now." I muttered, as I closed my eyes again. I felt his cool hands softly brushing the hair back from my face before I heard his whispered reply, "Bella, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Rest now and we'll talk in the morning." I felt the mattress shift as he lay down beside me and continued to stroke my overheated face with his cool gentle hands. My last thought as I slipped into sleep was how I sure hoped that kiss meant as much to him as it did to me.

**EmPOV**

I lay beside her on my bed stroking her face gently. Her poor eyes were swollen from crying and her whole face was red. I hadn't lied when I said she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had a kindness that radiated from her soul and made her so much more beautiful than the sum of her features. I wanted her badly. Not just her body, though I couldn't wait to touch her again, but all of her. I wanted to be the one to hold her as she cried over life's disappointments, I wanted to be the one to kiss her when she came home from class, I wanted to be the reason she smiled when she woke up in the morning. Somehow, in the last weeks, I had fallen in love with Bella Swan.

She had helped me to get over the insecurity and pain from Rosalie's rejection. More than that, she'd offered her friendship to me at a time when I was desperately in need of a friend.

She made me want to show her my softer side, the side I couldn't ever show when I was with Rosalie. I wanted to take care of her and let her see that I was vulnerable, too, and not just big dumb Emmett. She had touched a part of my soul that no one else had ever been privy to seeing.

I won't lie; I am a very physical man. I wanted to show her my love physically as a man for a woman. Maybe more importantly, I wanted to let her show me. I knew Edward had held himself aloof from her physically. He rejected her time and again. I remember how I had teased him mercilessly at the time and how her self-confidence had suffered because of it. If she would give me the opportunity to be with her, I would not repeat his mistakes. I would be a gentle lover when she needed that, but I would show her passion, too.

I heard her heartbeat beginning to accelerate and I knew she would wake soon. I gently detangled my self from her sleeping body and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She would need some coffee this morning, so I slipped downstairs to get it for her. I moved at my natural pace and completed the task quickly and was sitting holding the steaming mug when she began to stir.

**BPOV**

I woke to the smell of fresh coffee and curing tobacco mixed with warm leather, Emmett's distinct aroma. I cracked open my eyes and saw him sitting in his chair near the bed. He held the coffee mug in his hands, their size almost swallowing the mug. "Good morning, beautiful," he said softly, handing me the cup and softly pressing his lips to my forehead while I shifted to sit up on his bed. I felt a tingle shoot through my fingertips where I brushed his as I took the cup. I heard his unnecessary breath hitch a bit, so I knew he felt it, too. I sipped the coffee for a few moments, studying his face as he looked down at his hands lying in his lap.

I set the coffee aside and rose from my position to go to the en suite bath. I really needed to brush my teeth. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and combed through my hair hastily with my fingers as I brushed. Amazingly, I looked OK. The redness had faded over the course of the night and my eyes were no longer swollen. I imagine that Emmett's cool hands stroking my face during the night had something to do with that.

Finally, I ran out of delaying tactics, so I squared my shoulders and made my way back to the bedroom. Emmett had moved and was now gazing out the window across the backyard. He looked deep in thought.

I decided to resume my cross-legged position on the bed and picked up my coffee mug again. This was very awkward. He hadn't said anything since he had handed me the coffee mug.

"Bella," he said, speaking softly in his deep rich baritone, "I need you to understand something about me. I am a very spontaneous man. I act on what I feel and I don't second guess my actions or think how they might affect others. I'm reckless and thoughtless sometimes. When I want something, I pursue it fully. What we shared last night was very special to me. I hope it is the start of something with you, but I can't stand the thought of you not being in my life, so tell me what you need me to be and I'll be it. If it's a brother or just a friend, I can do it. It'll be hard, but I will do whatever I need to do to keep you in my life. I don't believe in all the love at first sight bullshit; I've been down that road and it ended badly. I want to have a love that is strong and true, able to withstand the test of eternity. I'm tired of being alone, Bella. I don't do alone very well, but I also don't want to be with someone I don't love. Bella, if you'll have me, I want to see where these feelings lead us. I promise I won't ever hurt you and I'll treat you so good, honey. Give me a chance, Bella. You won't be sorry."

He had spoken this entire amazing speech while looking out the window. His voice was rough and low with emotion. About halfway through, my mouth dropped open and I stared at him in amazement. He was saying everything that was in my heart. It's like there was a window into my soul and he had seen everything written there. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

I drew a shaky breath before speaking, "Emmett, please, look at me, OK?" He turned from the window and, seeing my tears, crossed quickly to me wiping them away with his big thumbs, his hands cupping my face. "I'm sorry, Bella. Please, honey, don't cry. I don't want to make you sad," he whispered miserably, pulling me to his chest in a gentle embrace. He was so gentle in his movements, as if I was made of the most delicate spun glass. I suppose with his strength, I might be that fragile to him, especially given his immense strength even among vampires.

"Em, I'm not sad. I'm just amazed that you feel that way. I couldn't even begin to hope you felt the same way that I do. Emmett, I want you as my lover and my friend. I can't have you as one without the other. I feel so much for you, baby. My heart aches when I think about what you've been through over the last two years. I never want to cause you anything but happiness. You mean so much to me, Emmett, I already love you on so many levels. I want to be with you, Emmett. It just feels right." I replied, content to be in his arms again.

He pulled me back from his chest and brushed his lips softly against mine, both of us again feeling the spark where we connected. "Thank you, honey. I am going to take such good care of you. You'll never have a moments sadness if I can help it," he murmured softly in my ear, before pressing his lips against my throat where my pulse was beating strong and steady. We sat wrapped in each other's embrace for a few more moments, before he released me and made his way downstairs to cook me some breakfast.

As he reached the door, he turned to look at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes and said, "Bella, take a shower while I'm gone, OK? You smell like puke!" and ducked out the door before the pillow I launched in his direction got there. I could hear his loud booming laughter as he headed downstairs to the kitchen and couldn't help my own.


	5. Unhappy Reunion

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. I own nothing of consequence.**

Unhappy Reunion

**BPOV**

I was awoken from my lazy Saturday nap by an insistent knocking on my apartment door, I thought about ignoring it, but with a groan, decided to see who wanted to talk to me so badly. I had worked like a dog for the last week on a term paper and had put the final touches on it last night, late last night to be exact, hence the afternoon nap today…

Muttering under my breath, I padded to the door after tugging on one of Emmett's button down shirts that he had left over here last week, since I was only wearing a tank top and pair of boxers. I'd washed the shirt, but hadn't given it back yet. Even after the wash, it still smelled slightly of him. I smiled a little at the scent.

We'd gone out a few times since the party, but I'd been so busy with schoolwork that I couldn't have much in the way of a social life. He still stayed over on my couch most nights and usually hung out with me in the evenings, but the intense passion of our first kiss hadn't revisited us. I was hoping that with my term paper out of the way and no big projects looming over me at the moment, that things would start heating up once he had my undivided attention.

I peeked through the peephole in the door and saw Alice practically vibrating with excitement on the door mat. With a sigh, I unlocked the deadbolt and let the door swing open. She bounded in the door without so much as a hello and made a beeline for my bedroom closet. Jasper grinned and shrugged as he came through the doorway. "Sorry, Bella. I didn't take her to raise," he said with a grin. I grinned back and gave him a brief hug before heading over to the sofa and sitting down. Jasper sat down, too, and started playing Guitar Hero. I just sat there watching him for a few minutes before I headed to the kitchen to grab a can of Coke.

I had just gotten settled on the couch again, when Alice came back downstairs and sat down next to me. "You know, Bella, your taste in clothing is much better now. I think I can actually work with some of the things in your closet," she said, smiling brightly at me. Jasper chuckled softly while continuing his game. I rolled my eyes and asked the obvious question, "OK, guys, not that I don't love your company, but what's up?" Alice was bouncing up and down on the couch and I laughed as Jasper reached over and put a calming hand on her shoulder and answered, "We're going out tonight. Emmett's hunting, but he'll meet us when he's done; Rosalie and Tiernan will, too. The state fair opened last night and we're going to go play some games, ride some rides, and see the world's smallest woman. So, are you in, Bella?"

Oh, the state fair! That was definitely my kind of night out! "Absolutely! That sounds like fun guys. Give me a few minutes to shower and change and I'll be ready." I replied, bouncing a little in my seat from the excitement, too. Alice squealed in response and hollered after me to dress warmly as I headed upstairs to shower and dress.

30 minutes later, I headed back downstairs dressed in a pair of soft well worn blue jeans slung low on my hips, a black long-sleeved thermal shirt with a Paramore t-shirt, and my olive green jacket from the military surplus store. I was winding my hair up in a messy knot as I grabbed my Chucks from under the coffee table. I grabbed my ID and some cash to shove in my pocket and we headed out the door.

It was twilight as we pulled up at the fairgrounds, I saw Emmett leaning up against his Jeep and Rose & Tiernan standing with him. I waved as Jasper parked next to them. I noted with satisfaction that he was already grinning that beautiful dimpled grin that I loved. Before I could open the door, Emmett had wrenched it open and scooped me into his arms. He swung me around once before setting me back on my feet, breathless and smiling.

"Hi, honey. I missed you this week!" he breathed in my ear before releasing me and grabbing my hand. He was like a whirlwind and he loved any excuse to touch me. It was one of the things I loved the most about him. He didn't do anything halfway and he wasn't ever embarrassed to show how he felt. I always felt loved around Emmett and there was never a dull moment!

Alice skipped up beside me and grabbed my free hand, pulling me away from Emmett. Rose drifted over and took my other arm. The three of us walked ahead of our men, heads together planning our evening. I glanced over my shoulder as the guys who were just smiling indulgently behind us, obviously enjoying the view.

Emmett winked and called out, "Hey Bells; hate to see you go, honey, but I love to watch you leave!" It was so cheesy I couldn't help but laugh at his antics. Jasper and Tiernan smirked at their wives and nodded their agreement.

We got up to the announcement board and noticed that there was a concert that night by a great local college band. We decided we would do the fair stuff and then hit the concert a little later. The guys walked over to the ticket booth and bought ride books and concert tickets. While they were taking care of that, Alice and Rose pulled me to the restroom to interrogate me on my burgeoning relationship with Emmett. I have to admit it was a little bit strange to talk about it with Rose, since she was his ex-wife and all, but ultimately I got some great pointers to try out later.

By the time we emerged, the guys were finished and waiting impatiently. We coupled off again, Emmett wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I tucked my hand into his back pocket and Jasper hoisted Alice onto his shoulders piggyback style. Rose & Tiernan were more dignified and walked along with their hands clasped.

We decided to check out the craft exhibits first, so we headed that way. As we entered the building, I noticed that the local co-op had a booth set up with homemade soaps, lotions, and various alpaca wool sweaters, hats, scarves, and gloves. I picked up a tester of the freesia and lilac scented lotion and sniffed it tentatively. To my surprise, it wasn't too strong but had just the slightest hint of freesia and lilac. Emmett whispered in my ear, "Babe, that's a lot like how you smell to me anyway. Delicious!" he finished, pressing his cool lips against the hollow under my jaw, sending a shiver down my spine. I shuddered and turned my head to catch his lips with mine, slipping my tongue into his mouth and relishing his sweet spicy flavor. The kiss was full of the promise of things to come.

We reluctantly broke apart and wandered over to where Alice and Rose were fingering scarf and glove sets. I rummaged through the sets, looking for the perfect one. Alice settled on a set in various shades of pink, Rose did the same for a set in green, and I found one is shades of blue and brown. I flipped the tag to check the price and sighed as I saw that it was not in the budget tonight.

The guys had wandered over to a knife and woodworking exhibit at the booth across the aisle, so I grinned at Rose and Alice and wandered over to a quilt booth and started wandering through the rows of hanging quilts. I was admiring a particularly pretty wedding ring pattern in shades of burgundy and hunter green, when Emmett joined me and held out a package wrapped in brown paper. He was beaming like a little kid as I untied the bow and unwrapped the paper. Nestled inside was the scarf and glove set I had set aside a few moments before. "I didn't want you to get cold. Besides, the colors would look really nice on you," he murmured softly as I reached up on tiptoes to kiss my thanks to him. He really was quite thoughtful and I knew I was the only one that got to see his soft gentle side.

I slipped the gloves on my chilly hands as he wound the scarf around my neck. "So beautiful," he sighed as he finished and slung his arm around my shoulders again as we strolled over to see what the rest of the gang was up to.

We decided to ride a few rides, so we headed towards the midway. There were all the standard carnival rides: Tilt-A-Whirl, Himalaya, Roller Coaster, Fun House, Gravitron, Haunted House, Ferris Wheel, and a Carousel in the middle.

We decided to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl first, so we headed over the line and waited for our turn.

**EmPOV**

Bella hopped up to sit on the bars as we waited in line to ride our first ride of the evening. She was so beautiful with the carnival lights glinting in her hair. I watched as she threw back her head and laughed at whatever Jasper whispered to her. I smiled, my favorite brother and my woman, they really were very alike. They were sensitive, a little bit reserved, and always worried about others before themselves. I idly wondered what Bella would be like as a vampire, gifted like Alice & Jasper or more like Rose, Tiernan, and I?

She must have felt me staring then, because she turned and smiled at me. I edged over to her and pulled her tight against me before leaning down to brush her lips with mine. A jolt of electricity ran through me as we touched and I growled low in my chest. God, I wanted her. She pulled away slightly to whisper in my ear, "Can I stay with you tonight? I want you, Emmett." I was momentarily struck dumb as all my venom flowed to little Emmett and away from my brain, all I could do was smirk stupidly and nod my head. That might have been the sexiest thing I'd ever heard! She laughed at my expression and hopped down as we made our way onto the ride.

We rode all the rides a few times and as we got off the carousel, Bella announced that she was hungry and headed over to one of the food stands. She got a cheeseburger, a Coke, and a funnel cake topped with powdered sugar. We decided to sit in a little grassy area near the midway, so we'd be ready to play a few games before heading to the arena for the concert. Bella was leaning back against my stomach and we were all laughing and joking as she ate. When she finished, she threw away her trash. She had a little bit of powdered sugar on her bottom lip, so I reached out with my thumb to brush it away, but she had a better idea. As I touched her lips, she sucked my finger into her mouth and bit down gently before releasing me. I bit back a moan and crushed her lips to mine. I could taste the sugar on her lips along with the sweet flavor that was hers alone. Time stopped for a moment as the kiss deepened and she shuddered against me. Slowly I released her and whispered, "Soon, honey, very soon," before I wrapped my arm around her shoulders again and pulled her towards the Midway games.

We messed around for an hour or so at the games. All of us guys winning our ladies some stuffed animals. Bella, Alice, & Rose all gave them away to little kids as we started towards the arena for the concert, and I noticed that Bella had kept the little stuffed black bear I'd won at the baseball toss. She had it tucked securely in between her coat and her side.

The concert was pretty good and it was obvious that there were mostly students there, so we fit in well. We couldn't keep our hands off of each other, both of us were eager to get home. The night had been full of innuendo. As the concert ended, we headed back to our cars. Rose and Tiernan opted to ride with Jasper and Alice. They were going to go on a hunt outside of town, but I knew they were just giving us privacy. Jaz gave me a wink and Alice a thumbs up as they pulled away.

The atmosphere was thick in the Jeep as we drove back to the house, but not uncomfortable. We knew what we wanted. I scooped Bella up into my arms and carried her up to my room. It was dimly lit in my room thanks to the candles that Bella walked up to and lit as we arrived.

She was beautiful in the flickering candlelight. I pulled her back into my arms and took up where we had left off. The kiss quickly deepened and spoke of the need we both had tonight. I felt her wrap her legs around my waist as I slid my hands down her back to cup her perfect little ass. She moaned into my mouth at the contact and slid her warm hands under my shirt to stroke my chest and abs.

"We're wearing too many clothes, baby," she sighed huskily into my ear before nibbling lightly at my earlobe. I nearly ripped her clothing off in my haste to remedy that problem before hastily removing my own.

I gently laid her down in the middle of my bed and lowered myself down over her groaning at the first sensation of her warm flesh against mine. I nipped lightly at her neck and shoulders, earning a throaty moan from Bella. I moved down her body stopping to lick and nip at her breasts. I wanted to touch every part of her. She was writhing underneath me now and I stroked her ribs and belly, laying soft open mouthed kisses there, before moving down to stroke her inner thigh. "Open your eyes, Bella. I want to see what I'm doing to you." I growled. Her eyes snapped open and I could see her passion swimming in the dark chocolate, as I pushed her thighs apart and tasted her for the first time. She cried out and bucked against me as I flicked and sucked her throbbing bundle of nerves before sliding a finger deep inside her. "Oh, honey, you are so warm and tight." I groaned beginning to thrust into her. I could feel her already twitching around my fingers as I added a second quickly followed by a third. "Oh, Emmett…so good, baby…so close...mmmm." she moaned incoherently. "Cum for me Bella. Let go, honey." I commanded, curling my fingers up inside her and hitting her g-spot roughly. She cried out my name as I felt her explode around me. I pulled my fingers from her and dove down to catch a taste of her sweetness. I gentled my ministrations as she came down from her peak and moved back up to kiss her tenderly. "Emmett, that was amazing. I need more, baby. Fuck me now, Emmett. Don't make me wait," she growled in my ear, her words going straight to my cock and making me impossibly harder. I couldn't wait anymore to be one with her. I crushed my lips back to hers and thrust into her as hard as I dared. She gasped against my lips and cried out my name as I strained to be still and let her adjust. "Fuck, Emmett, you're so big. God, that's fucking amazing," she moaned and began to roll her hips against me as I started to build a rhythm. She was so fucking beautiful with her hair a mess around her face and lips swollen from my kisses. I wasn't going to last very long and I could already feel her tightening around me. I flipped her over without breaking contact and drove into her from behind grasping her hips as she thrust back against me, meeting me thrust for thrust. "Oh shit, Bella. Fuck. Bella!" I cried out exploding into her as I felt the first spasm of her orgasm clutching me from inside her. I thrust gently bringing her down from her climax and rolled her over to lie against my chest, kissing her softly as her breathing slowed. We lay holding each other for awhile, just enjoying each other's bodies. I was drawing lazy circles on her back while she stroked my chest with her fingertips. "Emmett?" she asked drowsily. "Yeah, honey?" I replied softly gazing down at her. "Thank you, that was worth the wait," she murmured. I kissed the top of her head and whispered back, "I'm not going to be able to let you go now, Bella. I hope you know that." She nodded softly and snuggled closer in to me as I pulled the blankets up over our naked bodies. I listened to her breathing slow down and deepen and knew she was asleep. I tightened my hold on her slightly and closed my eyes, pretending to sleep with my lover.

She'd been asleep for a few hours and the first light of morning was beginning to cross the horizon as I slipped from her embrace and tugged on a pair of lounge pants and padded towards the door. I had heard Jasper and Alice go into their room a few minutes before and I wanted to get Bella's bag from Jasper's Navigator before she woke up. I descended the stairs and walked out to the garage. I had just grabbed her bag and shut the garage door again when I heard her scream.

**BPOV**

I awoke to the feel of cool hands stroking my hair. I smiled and murmured Emmett's name softly still half asleep. "No, love, wrong brother," he growled back in my ear. Startled I scooted back against the headboard sitting up fast and clutching the sheet to my chest. "Oh, no point in modesty now, love. That was quite the show you just put on, my Bella," he spat, disgust written in his beautiful features as he violently ripped the sheet from my body. His eyes were pitch black with rage. "Edward, what the hell are you doing? I am not your Bella anymore. You gave up that honor when you walked out on me 5 years ago." I managed to stutter out, trying and failing to hide my fear. This was not the Edward I had once loved. He was glaring at me with hatred and looked wild. "I'm going to show you who you belong to, Isabella," he growled ripping me from the bed and throwing me hard onto the floor and pinning my body with his knees. I knew I had no chance of fighting him off of me, so I did the only thing I could do. I screamed, loudly. Edward snarled and backhanded me so hard I saw stars. I struggled to remain conscious; knowing that to pass out now might mean my death.

Suddenly, the bedroom door exploded off its hinges and Emmett launched himself at Edward with a vicious snarl. A moment later, Jasper bound through the door and seeing me naked on the floor, scooped me up in his arms and handed me to Rosalie who was also now in the doorway. She cradled me to her gently wrapping me in the ripped sheet from the bedroom floor and loped down the hall to Alice and Jasper's room. I heard Emmett's howl of pain as Alice pulled me into her arms. Jasper must have been throwing out some major calming waves, because I could feel it from here. Gradually, the snarls and growls calmed and I heard Jasper and Tiernan dragging Edward downstairs and away from the house.

"Emmett!" I sobbed as he bounded into the room and gathered my trembling frame into his strong arms. "Bella, honey, did he hurt you? Are you OK?" he demanded, franticly searching my body for injury. As he stroked my cheek, I cried out and he scowled as he took in the bruise already forming there. I would have one hell of a black eye tomorrow, but I was OK. He pulled me tight against him and I rested my head on his shoulder as my trembling gradually eased. "I'm OK, Emmett. He mostly just scared the hell out of me." I stuttered out between my chattering teeth. I ran my hand up his arm and over his shoulder and he hissed with pain. I sat up quickly and took in the fresh silvery bite mark on his shoulder. "Oh Emmett, you're hurt, baby." I sighed. "I'm fine, Bella. No big deal, it just stings a little." He replied stoically. I shifted in his arms and laid a gentle kiss over the mark and felt him shudder before snuggling down into his comforting lap again. Rose and Alice had both slipped out of the room when Emmett arrived, but Rose now slipped back in with a steaming mug of tea. I accepted it gratefully and sipped the hot liquid, feeling it soothe my frayed nerves.

After a few more moments, my trembling was under control and Emmett leaned back and slipped one of his t-shirts over my head. "What the hell happened to him? He's lost his mind!" I exclaimed. Jasper and Alice drifted back into the room and Alice came to sit next to me on the bed again. "Bella, we didn't say anything about his deterioration because we didn't want you to feel you were to blame in any way. Edward made his choices but he paid a heavy price with his sanity. He couldn't leave you and stay sane. His insanity keeps me from being able to see him in my visions because he almost never makes a decision. He just acts on instinct," Alice said softly. Jasper stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, "Bella, sugar, he's gone now. You don't have to be worried about him. I sent him to Carlisle and Esme's house in Ithaca. He's had these episodes before and he'll come out of it and go to them. They already know he's on his way and Alice saw him arrive in a vision a few moments ago." I could feel the calm he was pushing through his hand on my shoulder and I sighed as I felt it take effect. "Thank you, Jaz. I think I'm OK now." I murmured.

"Come on, honey, let's go back to bed for awhile." Emmett said softly, as he scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to his bed. I felt his cool hand stroking my bruised face as I drifted back to sleep feeling safe in his arms. My last thought was to wonder if Edward would really stay away now that he knew where I was and who I was with.


	6. Aftermath

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters. I own nothing of consequence.**

Aftermath

**BPOV**

When I awoke next, I was aware of several things; I felt like I had been hit by a truck, Edward had tried to hurt, maybe even kill, me, Emmett had stayed with me all night, and I was definitely in love with him. I shifted slightly intending to kiss him softly, but groaned with pain as I tried to roll over.

"Easy, honey, don't try to move too fast. You took a pretty bad beating last night," Emmett whispered, as I completed my turn, "Carlisle called in a prescription for some pain medication for you. Alice went and picked it up a little while ago. Let's get some medication in you and get you feeling better, OK?"

I nodded and tried to sit up against the headboard of the bed, grimacing in pain. Emmett smoothed his hand over my cheek with a pained expression on his face.

"Bella, I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you from him," he sighed, regret and sorrow at my pain evident in his expressive ocher eyes.

"I'm going to be fine, baby. You couldn't know that he would attack me like that and you did protect me from him in the end. It would have been so much worse if you hadn't come in when you did. I owe you my life, Emmett." I replied, reaching out stiffly to gently cup his cheek in my hand.

He sighed and nuzzled his face against my warm hand before getting up and taking a glass of water and two pills from the top of the dresser and coming back to give them to me. I swallowed the medication and drank some of the water. I shifted again and tried to hold in my groan of pain and I eased my battered body into a sitting position and made to stand up. Emmett was by my side supporting me before I could blink and I was grateful for it. I hobbled slowly towards the en suite bathroom with Emmett half carrying me. I was trying to discern whether any ribs were broken or just badly bruised, but everything on my body hurt so badly that I couldn't really tell.

"Tiernan checked you over while you were sleeping. He said you had a couple of cracked ribs on each side, but other that some bruises and soreness, you should be OK in a week or so." Emmett told me, as we shuffled over toward the shower, "He's going to wrap your ribs from you later this morning. Do you think you can handle a shower or would you rather do a hot bath?"

"Em, you're too good to me. I'm not sure if I can stand in the shower on my own right now. A bath would probably be safer." I responded.

"Isabella, there is nothing that is too good for you and I will do anything I can to ease your pain. I almost lost you last night. Please, let me take care of you!" he responded intensely, "Now, sit down right here in the vanity chair and I'll run some water for you."

He began to fill the oversized soaking tub and ran some lilac scented bubble bath under the tap. When he was satisfied, he crossed back over to me and gently helped me undress and get situated in the warm water. I sighed as the pain medication and warm water began to soothe my aching muscles. He kissed me softly and turned to leave the bathroom.

"Emmett, baby, won't you join me?" I murmured softly.

"Are you sure, Bella? I don't want to hurt you at all," he replied, in an equally soft tone.

I nodded and watched as he stripped out of his flannel lounge pants and slid into the water, positioning us so that I was lying against his broad comfortable chest. He began to gently rub my neck and shoulders, trying to ease the tension held there. I sighed and allowed myself to relax completely against him. As the water began to cool, he lathered and rinsed my hair. I sighed at the sensation of his hands running through my hair. He kissed me again gently, lovingly as he scooped me up in his arms, being careful not to jostle me too much, as wrapped a fluffy towel around me before grabbing another to swathe around his hips.

He helped me dress in a t-shirt and soft yoga pants before dressing himself in track pants and a t-shirt. We weren't going anywhere today, so comfort was the name of the game. Once we were dressed, he called out softly for Tiernan.

"Bella, how are you this morning?" Tiernan asked in his soft accent, "I think you'll feel better once we get your ribs taped."

"Well, I've had worse, Tiernan, but not much worse." I replied softly, as he began to wrap my ribs as gently as he could, "Thank you for everything." I said as I leaned up and gently kissed my newest brother's cheek.

He nodded and gathered up his supplies before leaving the room. He really was very sweet and it was obviously quite handy given my clumsiness to have a paramedic in the family, especially with Carlisle in Ithaca.

I actually did feel a little bit better after he taped my ribs and taken that nice hot bath. I was feeling pretty hungry then, so Emmett carried me downstairs and helped me get settled on the living room sofa. Jasper was sitting on the loveseat strumming his guitar, so I decided to listen to him instead of watching TV, while Emmett headed into the kitchen to get some leftover pizza and juice for me. Jasper was a very talented guitarist and favored more contemporary music. I was again struck by how much Edward had kept from me about his family. He had isolated me even among his family members. Jasper glanced up and smiled.

"Bells, how are you this morning, darlin'?" he drawled, a touch of concern etched on his brow.

Obviously he could feel the pain that was causing me a bit of discomfort even with the pain medication.

"I'm pretty sore this morning, but I'll be OK in a few days." I replied, returning his smile.

He set his guitar aside and clicked on the TV as Emmett returned with pizza and a glass of juice for me. Emmett hovered over me, unsure of what to do.

"Em, baby, I'm OK. Come sit with me." I said, smiling softly at him and shifting with a tiny grimace so he could sit behind me on the couch.

"Can't keep your hands off of me even for five minutes…Bella, you're insatiable, woman!" he replied in a teasing tone as he settled down on the couch and gently placed my head and shoulders on a pillow in his lap; his gentleness betraying his teasing tone.

I nibbled my pizza and drank my juice from a bendy straw; got to love those things! I guess Alice must have gotten them when she hit the pharmacy for my pain medication earlier. After a few more minutes, Alice, Rose, & Tiernan drifted into the living room and arranged themselves comfortably. We decided to all just hang out and watch some DVDs, so it was decided that we would watch the Indiana Jones movies from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Emmett never even shifted beneath me. He was content to simply stroke my hair and lean down for the occasional gently kiss. Anytime the pain medication began to wear off, Jasper would feel my pain increase, and shoot relaxation my way as Alice, Rose, or Tiernan would jump up to get the next dose for me. Carlisle and Esme also called to check on me during the movies.

I snuggled down into Emmett's comfortable lap and sighed in contentment. I was so lucky that I had found my vampire family again. Now, if Edward would just stay gone, things would be perfect. Somehow, I knew that was too much to hope for though.


	7. Three Little Words

**DISCLAIMER: S.M. owns all things Twilight. This is just one alternative future that might have been…**

Three Little Words…So Hard to Say

**EmPOV**

I was at Bella's loft, as usual, waiting for her to get home from her last class of the day. We split our time now between her loft during the week and my home on the weekends. It was Thursday, so Bella would be home later than usual because of her TA office hours. I was sitting on her sofa watching a football game and trying to be patient. I smiled as I heard her truck pull up into the small parking area next to the apartment building. I was so in love with my beautiful girl. She was amazing in every way.I smiled as her warm arms circled my neck from behind.

"Hi, baby. I missed you! How was your day?" she asked, leaning over the back of the sofa to brush my lips with her own.

"Better now that you're home, hon." I replied, twisting to get a better angle as I kissed her back.

She sighed against my lips and leaned a little further against the back of the sofa. She smelled terrific, but not in an "I want to eat you" kind of way, more like an "I want to take you to bed and make you scream" kind of way.

She laughed, pulling away as her stomach growled. "Sorry, Em. Time to feed the human!"

I watched her walk over to her small galley kitchen and heard her rummaging through the cabinets and refrigerator. After a few moments, I heard her chopping vegetables and could smell raw chicken. So I figured she was making some kind of stir-fry. I wrinkled my nose at the smells; human food smelled so nasty!

I decided to head to the small bar and sat down on the barstool so I could watch her. She was standing at the counter with her back to me, singing softly under her breath as she worked, chopping the vegetables.

Then, the worst happened.

I heard her muttered curse as she sliced her finger instead of the carrot she was aiming for. I immediately stopped breathing, but not before getting a quick whiff, and began chanting in my head: _Bella is not supper_. Even as I chanted, I could feel my eyes darkening at the odor of her spilled blood.

She had already realized my discomfort and wrapped the offending digit in a towel, trying to minimize the odor.

She was shaking just a bit as she softly spoke, "Emmett, it's OK. Go if you need to."

Did I need to leave? I felt in control. Sure, it smelled pretty damn tasty, but this was Bella.

_Bella is not supper._ _Bella is not supper. Bella is not supper. Bella is not supper._

I wasn't going to tempt fate by breathing, but I was OK. I was in control as I stood at human pace and walked over to the cabinet that held the well-stocked first aid kit. Still holding my breath, I opened it and removed an alcohol wipe, antibiotic ointment, a gauze pad, and some cloth tape.

Bella was still trembling and clutching the towel tightly around her injured finger. I wanted to say something, anything to help her relax, but was too afraid to breathe and wreck my careful control.

Slowly and carefully, I walked over to her and gently turned her towards me. She looked a little bit panicky, but I gave her a wavering grin and she seemed to relax a touch. Her eyes did dart to mine a few times; I guess they were still too dark, but she let me remove the towel and with as much supernatural speed as I possessed, I quickly cleaned and bandaged her finger. It was a deep cut, but it wouldn't need stitches. Once it was covered, I pulled her into my arms and drew in a shuddering breath.

"OK, honey, I'm chopping from now on!" I said, trying to break the tension with a teasing tone.

"Fuck, Emmett! I'm so damn sorry! Are you OK?" she asked, still panicking a little.

"Bella, I'm fine! You're the one who just about lost a finger in a knife fight. Are _you_ OK?" I replied with a chuckle and a grin.

She nodded and shrank against my chest still trembling from the adrenaline rush that had accompanied her pain and fear. I hated that she had been afraid of me, but I was proud of myself for having the strength to take care of her when it mattered. I stroked her hair for a few minutes as she calmed down, before leading her over to take my place on the barstool.

I walked over to the refrigerator and got a can of Coke and grabbed two Advil from the bottle in the cabinet and took them over to her. I turned and began to clean the counter with some bleach spray from under the cabinet.

Then I calmly began to chop the rest of the vegetables and chicken, putting them in the steamer basket and adding some rice to the pot of boiling water she had prepared before starting the chopping.

I heard her pop the top on the can of Coke and take a long sip. Neither of us had said anything else, but I was not going to let her be afraid over having a stupid accident while cooking. I was fine, she was fine (other than the cut), and this was not going to get blown out of proportion.

"Bella, I told you that I don't feel a tremendous pull for your blood. I am what I am, but this wasn't that big of a deal. I've got good control, honey, and I would sooner become a pile of ash than hurt you. I'm sorry I scared you." I spoke softly, not wanting to scare her any further, as I lifted her chin gently to look in her eyes. They were swimming with unshed tears and I felt like crap for scaring her.

"Emmett, you big idiot! I wasn't scared _of_ you; I was scared _for_ you. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable because of my stupid clumsiness!" she replied, shaking her head in amazement, "I'm very proud of your control, but I'm sorry I tested it!"

I sighed and leaned down to kiss her gently. My brave Bella, she never did have any instinct of self-preservation! She cuts herself in front of a vampire and then worries that she made said vampire uncomfortable.

The kiss began to deepen and I felt her shudder against me. I scooped her up, careful of her hand, and carried her up to the bedroom, making a pit stop to turn off the stove. Hell, I'll just call for Chinese delivery later.

I planned on taking my time with her tonight. Slow and gentle was on the agenda. I set her on her feet next to the bed and tugged at the hem of her t-shirt. She lifted her arms to allow me to remove it as I began to kiss every single bit of skin that was revealed while I slowly pulled it up and over her head.

Her head fell back and a throaty purr issued from her as I caressed each bit of her stomach before moving up to the space between her breasts. Slowly I pulled her to me, catching her lips with my own as I unclasped her bra and slid it off her shoulders before adding it to her shirt on the bedroom floor. I snaked one cold hand up between us to cup her breast before following it with my mouth. She shuddered as I nibbled her hard little bud softly.

"Emmett, that feels incredible!" she moaned softly.

I didn't answer, but looked up to see her face as I suckled. I could feel tiny tremors running through her, now, so I walked her back until she hit the edge of the bed and gently pushed her back onto it as I followed her down, covering her with my body as I returned my attention to her lips and neck. I clasped her wrists gently in my hand and pulled them above her head as I sucked at the spot where her pulse was beating furiously in her slender tantalizing neck. I allowed my teeth to graze the spot, hard enough for her to feel the effects, but not enough to break the skin. She moaned loudly and craned her neck further to the side, offering herself to me. The sound of her desire and sight of her bared neck shot straight to my cock, my jeans becoming uncomfortably tight.

"Christ, Bella! You make it very hard to go slowly!" I growled, gritting my teeth as lust for her body threatened to break my resolve.

"Take me, Emmett. I need you, baby," she moaned, arching her hips into mine.

"Patience, baby. I'm not ready for that yet." I growled, grinding my hips into hers so she could feel what she was doing to me, "Do you feel that, Bella? That is yours, but not quite yet."

"Emmett. God. Please!" she cried out at the feeling of me pushed up against her warm core.

"Your wish is my command, honey." I growled in response, roughly ripping off her jeans and panties.

I froze for a moment gazing down at her perfection.

"God, Bella, you are so beautiful! I want to worship at your altar tonight, baby." I sighed, before dipping my head down and pulling her to me to bury my face in her damp fragrant curls.

She cried out, as I licked her hot wet slit from bottom to top in one long stroke, and bucked her hips against me. I grabbed her hips to still her, careful not to grip her too tightly, and pulled her down tighter against my lips and tongue. I took my time with my attentions, licking, nibbling, and sucking her with a gentle but constant attack.

She was panting and moaning lightly above me as she twisted her warm little fingers through my hair. As her nails lightly scratched my scalp, my own moan vibrated against her and I felt her convulse as it set off her climax. I gentled my movements to allow her to come down and moved back up to tease her lips with mine as she relaxed in my arms.

After a few moments, our kisses began to become more urgent again and she pressed lightly against my shoulders. I rolled to my back as she directed. Her warm little body was now straddling mine and her hair was a curtain around us. Her scent and warmth enveloped me and a soft growl vibrated from deep in my chest.

She slid down my body and unfastened my jeans. I lifted my hips slightly so she could remove them. She gasped as she realized that I was bare beneath them.

"Shit, Emmett, you are so sexy! I want to touch every single part of you!" she whispered huskily.

She lazily returned her attention to my lips and began to cover my neck and chest with warm wet kisses. She paused to nip my hipbones and then ran her tongue in the outline of my abdominal muscles. I shuddered under her and felt her smile against me before her warm mouth enveloped my throbbing cock.

Fireworks began to flare behind my closed eyelids as she brought me to the brink of oblivion before gentling her movements, only to start again. I was trembling all over at the force of the orgasm she was getting ready to allow me.

"Cum for me, baby. I want you to scream my name," she purred, before she thrust her mouth back down and raked her teeth along my shaft.

I came with a roar, crying out her name as waves of the most intense pleasure crashed over me. She continued to suck me until she had lapped up every drop of my release. I was putty in her hands when she finished and I cracked open my eyes to see her looking sexy and satisfied at the response she had elicited from me.

She sank down next to me and whispered, "Good boy!"

I moaned lightly, feeling my desire surge for her again as I wrapped her in my arms and flipped her onto her back underneath me. I slipped a hand between us and tested her readiness with a probing finger. She was wet and ready and so was I.

Before I could even move, she grabbed me in her warm hand and pumped me hard twice as I shuddered yet again.

"Bella, no one has ever been able to do to me what you do, baby." I moaned, lost yet again in the sensations she was producing.

"Only for you, Emmett," she sighed, positioning me at her entrance.

With a sigh, I thrust into her depths. She cried out in pleasure and pain as I felt her stretch around me. I was big and she was tight. I stilled until I felt her roll her hips gently against mine. I began to build a slow torturous rhythm. I could tell from her panting breath and erratic movements that she wouldn't last much longer. I needed to be deeper within her as I rushed towards my own peak. With a growl, I pulled her up and into my lap. She wrapped her arms around my back and her legs around my waist as I gripped her hips and rammed her as hard as I dared down onto my throbbing member.

I felt her shudder and twitch with her release as I spilled deep inside of her with a roar of pleasure. We collapsed in a heap on the bed and I pulled the blanket over us. I nuzzled her neck as her breathing began to return to normal.

Caught up in the moment, I said the three little words I'd been trying to hold back for weeks now.

"I love you, Bella." I sighed, resting my head in the hollow between her neck and shoulder. I felt her tense for a moment before relaxing more fully against me.

"Say it again, Emmett. Please? I want to hear it again," she murmured.

"Bella, I love you, honey." I said, stronger and clearer this time.

"I love you, too, Emmett, so very much," she replied and with a content sigh, she wiggled closer into my embrace. We lay comfortably entwined for a long time.

When her stomach growled, I grabbed her phone from the nightstand and called in a delivery order at the Chinese restaurant nearby. We shared a lovers conversation about nothing in particular as we waited for her supper to arrive and when it did, I fed her slowly, wanting to share even that experience with her.

Sometime much later, she slept and I stayed curled around her and allowing my eyes to close and my mind to wander as I pretended to sleep with my lover, my mate, my Bella. Nothing would be the same again for us. It would be even better. For the first time in two years, I felt complete. She loved me as I loved her. We would have our happily ever after and I would give her eternity.


	8. Hunting Trips, Visitors, & Visions

**DISCLAIMER: The amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's characters. I am currently just playing with them…**

Hunting trips, visitors, and visions; oh my!

**BPOV**

It was late in the afternoon as I pulled up in front of the cedar mansion. Thanksgiving break had started when my last class ended and Emmett had asked me to stay with him over the break. I was more than happy to spend time with them all over the break and had accepted immediately. Pulling to a stop, I hopped out of the SUV and made my way to the door. As I entered, I called out a greeting, but no one was home, so I headed into the kitchen to grab a snack. Stuck to the front of the stainless steel refrigerator was a note from Alice.

_Dear Bella, _

_We've gone to hunt in Canada, but will be home a few hours after you read this note. I love the movies you picked for movie night and I can't wait to see you later._

_Love,_

_Alice_

_PS: Don't worry about your shirt; I put a clean one out on Emmett's bed for you!_

As I finished reading the note, I wondered idly what was going to happen to my shirt before opening the refrigerator door. As I pulled it open, a half full jar of spaghetti sauce slipped out and shattered on the floor. My shirt took the brunt of the juicy red carnage. I had to chuckle a little as I leaned down and cleaned up my mess. Deciding to stick with popcorn and a can of Coke Zero, I headed upstairs to change as the corn began popping in the microwave.

I tugged on the pretty light pink baby-doll-style tank top that Alice had left out for me. I smiled as I thought about her. She was really trying to buy me things that fit my personal style now and she'd done a good job this time. Don't get me wrong, I was still her Bella Barbie from time to time, but she had finally realized that shopping with me was a lot more fun if she let me be myself!

Settling down on the couch in the living room, I flipped through the channels trying to find something worth watching. 750 channels later, I hadn't come across anything interesting, so I decided it would be a good night to turn on the gas log fireplace and curl up with a book. I set my popcorn and soda on the coffee table and made my way to Jasper's study. As I entered the room, I was awed once again at the sheer number of books he possessed. I lovingly ran my fingers over the spines as I searched for one to get lost in. I settled on an old favorite, Pride and Prejudice, and headed back downstairs to the lounge.

As I descended the final step, my night went to hell.

"Hello, love," Edward said, "Did you miss me? We were so rudely interrupted last time."

I stood frozen to the spot as I took in his appearance. He looked wild and unkempt, exactly as he had when I had seen him last, but for one disturbing detail; his eyes were a brilliant crimson. Edward was no longer a vegetarian.

**EmPOV**

I was anxious to get home. The hunting had been good and it had been nice to spend time with my family, but Bella was probably already at the house waiting, and I couldn't wait to see her.

I had finished off a bear a few moments earlier and was sitting on an old fallen log, just waiting for my family to finish up. Tiernan was the first to make his way out of the line of trees. He saw me on the log and seemed hesitant to join me. I needed to mend this relationship; he was my brother now and he made Rosie as happy as Bella made me. I nodded at him and waved him over.

He warily sat on the opposite side of the log. We were both quiet, neither feeling very comfortable with the other. Finally, Tiernan cleared his throat, the human habit betraying his nervousness.

"Emmett, I know that I have taken something very precious from you. I'm not sure how to fix that with you. I was alone for a very long time and now that I've found her, I can't be without her. It doesn't make it OK, what we did to you, but it couldn't be avoided. You'll find your true mate one day, and, for what it's worth, I'm sorry," he finished, unable to meet my eyes.

"I know," I replied simply.

"You know?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, Tiernan, I know. I understand and it's in the past. You're my brother now and you make Rose happy, happier than I ever did. Remember though, I will always love her and if you hurt her, I'll rip you to pieces and scatter you to the four corners of the world." I replied, finishing with a slight growl. He was my brother now, but I meant what I said.

He nodded in reply and relaxed against the log, content to sit with me and wait for Jasper, Alice, & Rosalie.

Rose emerged a few minutes later and glanced anxiously between Tiernan and me, before sinking down next to him. I gave her a reassuring nod and she smiled. For just a moment, I felt the old ache, but not as strongly. She wasn't mine anymore, would never be mine again, and I found that I didn't want her that way anymore. She was my past. Bella is the future, my future. Rose's betrayal just didn't have the same sting anymore. Alice had been right, of course, there was someone better waiting for me.

The three of us waited patiently for Jasper and Alice in companionable silence. We could hear them, of course, but were pretending not to. Hunting seemed to have that effect on them. Jasper's violent past made the bloodlust while hunting stronger and they usually ended their hunts with the best form of relaxation possible. They were always private in their displays of affection, so we continued to pretend not to notice their lovemaking.

Despite their restraint around the rest of the family, I knew they shared a love of each other and for our family that was unparalleled. I was in their debt for how they had taken care of me for the last two years. I would not have survived without them. I loved them both fiercely.

A few minutes later, they broke through the tree line and made their way toward us. They were only a few feet from us, when Alice's eyes took on that familiar vacant look.

"No, Bella!" she screamed before sinking to her knees.

Jasper immediately scooped her up into his arms and ran to us in the blink of an eye. Her scream had shot to my unbeating heart and I was shaking slightly as Jasper began to draw the vision from her with his practiced questioning. He glanced quickly at me and shot me a wave of calm. I gave him a half nod and turned my attention back to Alice's telling of her vision.

"I saw our home. Bella was there, but so was Edward. He wants to finish what he started and she's afraid." Alice explained in a trembling voice, her eyes locked on mine.

I was stunned and panicking. When? What do I do? Bella…

"When does this happen, Alice? Can we stop him?" Jasper asked urgently, slightly projecting his own anxiety. Bella was his dearest and most loved sister. He had just found her and he couldn't stand the thought of losing her again. I know the feeling, man.

"Now, Jaz…it's happening right now," she responded, despair evident in her voice, "but if we hurry, we can save her. He's playing with her, Jasper, and he'll feed from her when the game is over."

I couldn't help the roar that ripped from my chest. Jasper, Tiernan, and even Rose were snarling their outrage, as well.

"Then let's go…he's not going to hurt her!" I snarled and we all took off for the house at a dead run, the others close on my heels.

**BPOV**

Edward had not moved towards me yet. I had to think of a way to stall him. I could only pray that he had made a conscious decision so that Alice would see my plight. Either way, if I could stall him long enough they would be home soon. Think, Bella, think!

"Bella, my love, what am I going to do with you? It seems you have a definite preference for Cullen men. Who is next? Jasper? Ha, that would certainly not end well!" he laughed mirthlessly, his crimson eyes burning into mine.

"Edward, you don't get to be angry about this! You bastard, you left me five years ago. This relationship with Emmett is none of your business. You don't control my life anymore!" I snapped back, unable to control my temper even though my life most likely depended on it.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. I left you to keep you safe from us. How do you repay me? Not by living a normal happy human life, but by fucking my brother! You, my Bella, are a fucking slut and I am going to fucking drain you!" he snarled back.

"Fuck you, Edward. You don't own me. Do what you have to do, but never forget, you left me and I no longer belong with you. Emmett is my future now!" I snapped. Well, he was going to kill me anyway, so I may as well go down fighting.

He growled menacingly and was on me in the blink of an eye. He was obviously enjoying this phase of his game. I could feel the evidence of his enjoyment against my ass, as he pulled me tight against him to snarl into my ear.

"Can you feel me, Bella? I'm going to enjoy fucking you, Bella. He won't want you when I'm done. " Edward whispered in my ear, before running his tongue from the base of my neck and up to my jaw.

I shuddered at the feel of his cold tongue in such an intimate gesture. It would have been very welcome once, but not any longer. He laughed darkly as my shudder registered with him.

"Oh, Bella, I am really going to enjoy this," he said with a sneer, as he turned me around in his arms to face him. "Now run, Bella. I want a chase before dinner."

I knew there was no point in running or hiding, but the longer I played his game the more time the others would have to get home. So, I did what he asked and I turned and ran back up the stairs. His mad laughter chased me the whole way. There really was nowhere to hide; anywhere I went he'd smell me.

I managed to make it to Jasper and Alice's room. I closed to door and shoved the dresser in front of it. It wouldn't keep Edward out, but it would at least slow him down a bit. As I waited for him to come for me, I thought hard about my decision to come to this room and fight. Hopefully, Alice would see my decision and know where to come.

"Bella, come out, come out where ever you are!" he called from outside the door.

"Fuck you, Edward!" I yelled back, no longer capable of keeping up a conversational charade.

"Bella, that is really not very ladylike," he replied calmly as he shoved the door open, sending the dresser careening across the bedroom.

He was on my before I could even breathe again. So, I did the only thing I could think of to do. With a savage scream, I snapped the crown of my head into his chin. I saw stars but shook my head fiercely to dispel them, as Edward, taken by surprise, stumbled back a few steps, snarling.

Just as I was preparing to run towards the door again, I heard a vicious snarl and Jasper leaped through the ruined doorway followed by a royally pissed Emmett. Before either could position themselves between Edward and me, Edward grabbed me around the neck and dragged me over to the bedroom window.

"I guess we'll have to finish our game later, Bella. My brothers don't seem very interested in playing today," he whispered in my ear before flinging me hard against the bookshelves and disappearing through the window.

I saw Emmett and Jasper jump out after him, before I felt Alice lift me and run me downstairs. There was something warm and wet running down into my eyes and, as I realized that it was blood, the blackness found me.

**JPOV**

Emmett followed me through the window after Edward, but our brother was fast, too fast. We followed his trail until we came to a small creek and his scent disappeared. We had to get back to the house, Bella was in a lot of pain and I could feel Alice's panic.

"Emmett, we can't get to him tonight. Bella is hurt. We need to get back." I said, grabbing Emmett's arm and halting his run.

The soldier within me was screaming to continue our pursuit, but I reined it in, knowing we were needed more at home right now. Emmett was murderously enraged and it wasn't helping my control at all. I shot a wave of calm at him and felt his arm relax in my grip slightly.

"Emmett," I said softly, "we will get him. He will not touch her again."

"I'm going to kill him, Jasper. He is no longer my brother. He's hurt my mate and I am going to destroy him," he growled, "Esme & Carlisle forgive me, but he will not survive our next meeting!"

I nodded and released his arm as we took off again toward the house.

We burst through the front door and Alice launched herself into my arms, kissing my frantically.

"I couldn't see you anymore, Jasper, I thought I'd lost you!" she sobbed brokenly into my shoulder.

"Ali, I'm fine, darlin', I will never leave you, but we lost him. He was too fast." I replied, snuggling her close to my body while her sobs eased off.

"She's in your bedroom, Emmett. Tiernan and Rose are with her. She's going to be fine." Alice whispered at our frantic brother who was already halfway up the steps following her scent.

**EmPOV**

I raced up the stairs, vaguely processing Alice's whisper, as I burst into my bedroom. Tiernan whirled around and crouched defensively in front of Bella's prone body before he realized it was only me. He immediately stepped aside giving me an unfettered view of my sweet angel. Her eyes were closed and her always pale skin seemed even paler in that moment. I realized with great relief that I could hear her heartbeat, strong & steady.

I crossed to her side and hesitated, trying to find somewhere to touch her that wasn't bruised. I settled for gently engulfing her right hand in my own, sitting on the edge of the bed. Tiernan approached and gently laid his hand on my shoulder.

"Emmett, she'll be fine. Her left shoulder was dislocated, but I realigned the joint. She knocked her head pretty badly, so I imagine she has a mild concussion, but other than some scrapes and bruises, she's OK," he said softly, giving my shoulder a small squeeze before exiting the room.

"Thank you for helping her." I murmured, as he left the room.

"Emmett, I need to clean her up and get her some fresh clothing." Rose whispered.

When I made no move to leave Bella's side or relinquish my hold on her hand, Rose sighed and asked gently, "Do you want to do it yourself? I'll help you, Em."

I hoped she could see my gratitude as I nodded and accepted the warm damp washrag she offered. I whispered my love to Bella as I gently washed her face and neck. I handed the rag back to Rose and took the clothing she offered me. It was one of my t-shirts and was much too big for Bella, but it slid easily over her injured shoulder and covered her to her knees. I took the brush that Rose placed in my hand and gently began to use it to work out the tangles in my love's hair.

"She's going to be fine, Emmett. She's just sleeping off the pain medication that Tiernan gave her." Rose said, placing a soft kiss on my forehead as she exited the room, leaving me to my thoughts and my vigil with Bella.

After a few moments of just staring at her sleeping face, I decided I needed more contact, so I crawled onto the bed and tucked her gently against my chest. She sighed lightly in her sleep and a half-smile appeared on her lips. I would hold her and give her what comfort I could until she woke. I listened to the soft thump-bump of her heart and made it my calming anchor as I settled in to wait.


	9. Determination

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga and all it's characters. **

Determination

**BPOV**

I awoke the next morning wrapped comfortably in Emmett's arms. I was groggy from pain medication and my shoulder felt like it was full of broken glass. I was confused about that for a few moments until last night's events rushed back to me. The last thing I remembered was Jasper jumping out the window with Emmett on his heels in pursuit of Edward.

"Honey, it's OK. I've got you." Emmett murmured softly, no doubt hearing my heart accelerate.

"What happened to Edward? Are you OK? And Jasper?" I asked, the words tumbling from my mouth as I attempted to get all the information immediately.

"Calm down, Bella," Emmett said, stroking my hip lightly in reassurance, "Jasper and I are fine. Edward was too fast and he got away last night. I promise you, honey, he will not hurt you again. Jasper and I are going to take care of him."

"I know, Emmett. I trust you and Jasper, but I don't want either of you to be hurt!" I replied, my voice trembling more that I wanted it to.

"Baby, Jasper is a good fighter and so am I. Edward will not be able to hurt us, but I will not let him hurt you again. I have to take care of this." Emmett said, his voice firm, but at the same time, reassuring.

I nodded and relaxed into his arms again. There had to be something I could do to fix this situation. After a few more minutes, I slowly began to sit up. I felt pretty good except for my shoulder. I definitely needed a shower, though. I slowly swung my legs over the side of the bed, pausing, as I felt a tiny bit dizzy from lying down for so long, then stood up next to the bed.

"Bella, do you need me to help you?" Emmett asked gently, already at my uninjured elbow ready to steady me if I started to lose my balance.

"No, Em, I think I can do this. I really just need a few minutes to myself this morning." I replied.

His face fell and I realized that maybe I had spoken in a harsher tone than I intended. I reached out to cup his cheek in my hand and he let me turn his face to mine.

"Em, I'll be down in a few minutes, OK? I just need to absorb this situation a little before I talk about it any more. I love you." I murmured, looking deep into his eyes.

Thankfully, his eyes reflected only love as the hurt at my tone slipped away. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I did need some time to think.

"Sure, honey, but holler for me if you need me, OK?" he replied, before leaning in to brush my warm lips with his.

I nodded and made my way to the shower as he left the room. Standing under the hot shower spray did wonders for my sore shoulder and I felt human again by the time I got out. I dressed quickly in worn jeans and a soft cashmere sweater, before slipping my arm back into the sling Tiernan had provided. I brushed through my hair quickly and clipped it up in a messy knot. It was too hard to blow dry one handed.

Satisfied and feeling rejuvenated, I made my way downstairs to find the family huddled around the kitchen table. It appeared they were strategizing.

They all looked up as I entered the room.

"Good mornin', Bella." Jasper drawled with a smile, pulling out the chair between him and Emmett for me to sit with them.

"Morning, Jaz." I replied, smiling at him and the rest of the family before taking my seat.

"So, what's going on?" I asked, as everyone suddenly got very interested in the pattern of the wood grain in the table.

They were saved from answering by Alice's gasp as a vision descended on her. It was a quick one and she clapped her hands happily at the end.

"What did you see, Ali?" Jasper asked.

"Carlisle and Esme are almost here. They're coming for a visit and to help with Bella's plan," she trilled in response. All 5 sets of golden eyes swung towards me at her declaration.

"What plan, Bella?" Emmett asked, taking my hand in his.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. I wanted to explain this the right way. I looked up at the vampires gathered around the table. They were truly my family now, probably always had been. Alice smiled encouragingly. At least I knew she was already in my corner on this.

"Well, I was thinking in the shower about what we could do about the Edward situation. No matter what he's done, he is still your brother, Carlisle and Esme's son, and I loved him very much at one time. I don't want to see him destroyed, but with that said, I also don't want to be his dinner." I said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

I was rewarded with Jasper's quiet laugh and Emmett's dimpled grin. Rosalie and Tiernan were showing no emotion at all, so I rushed ahead.

"If I was less fragile, he wouldn't be such a threat to me and maybe we could help him come to terms with the new lives Emmett and I are leading. I want to be changed, sooner rather than later. I've had years to think about this and I feel like it is the right thing for me to do now." I finished, determination lacing my final sentence.

I sat back in my chair and a twisted my hands together nervously, waiting for their response. Jasper reached over and stilled my twisting hands and I felt the comforting waves of calmness that he was giving me with his touch. I smiled slightly and relaxed a little bit.

Rose cleared her throat unnecessarily and opened her mouth to speak.

"Bella, I know I've not always supported you. In fact, I was downright rude to you when you were with Edward," she paused and smiled slightly at me before continuing, "But, I agree with you in this decision. We could focus on helping Edward instead of protecting you, not that I mind doing that, but it would allow us a different focus," she finished, falling silent again.

"Bella, could I speak with you alone?" Emmett asked, his tone uncharacteristically solemn.

I nodded as the rest of the family silently left the room. Jasper and Alice were the last to leave, both smiled at us before departing and then we were alone.

The silence stretched between us, uncomfortable for the first time. As it dragged on, my heart began to race as I tried to decide what to say to him. Had I pushed him too hard? Did he see this as too much of a commitment? Maybe he doesn't want me to be around forever? My hands began twisting in my lap again and I could feel nervous tears beginning to build.

Damn it, Edward! I got over you leaving me; why the hell am I that insecure girl, again?

Emmett tuned me to face him, rougher in his touch than usual. When I was turned, he gently lifted my chin to face him.

"Bella, you can just knock that crying shit off right now! I can't wait for you to be a vampire, but I want to be sure you won't regret it later."

"Emmett, I am very sure of my choice. This is the right thing for me to do. It's completely obvious that this is what I am supposed to do. Look at my life, Emmett, and you tell me that fate isn't leading me here anyway." I replied, staring into his caramel eyes.

"Ok, Bella. If you're sure, then I'm on your side," he replied, nodding at my previous statement.

I nodded and brushed his lips with my own. I could feel his smile beneath my lips, so I pulled away to look at him with curiosity.

"What's so funny, Em?" I asked, confused.

"Well, Bells, I was just thinking about how strong you'll be as a newborn. You know wrestling is great foreplay," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows in a comical, yet suggestive, way.

My mouth dropped open and, before I could reply at all, he scooped me up and tossed me over his shoulder, still being careful of my injured shoulder, and laughed his booming laugh, as he ran upstairs with me as his prisoner. I figured I couldn't beat him, _yet_, so I might as well join him and laughed along with him.


	10. Family Reunion

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie M. owns Twilight and all it's fabulous characters. I just play with them.**

Family Reunion

**EmPOV**

She was curled up naked against my side and I could feel her warm breath against me. I reached down and stroked a lock of hair back from her face. I was a lucky man. Not only had she chosen to be here with me now, but had decided to be changed. I might have a chance at being with her forever.

Now, I know she hadn't said that was her reason for wanting to change, but I hoped at least a part of it was her love for me. I probably needed to talk to her about it and lay all my cards on the table for her, but I was scared. I knew I loved her with everything I had, but I had loved Rosalie, too, and look what it had gotten me. Plus, I wasn't one to wear my heart on my sleeve; it just wasn't me.

Even though it scared me shitless, I knew I had to tell her, once and for all, that I loved her and wanted her for my mate. From the moment I made love with her, I had been bound to her, for as long as she would have me. It seemed foolish, on some level, to continue to hide that from her, but I was just plain scared she would reject me.

I no longer felt the burn in my throat when I was near her and I knew that meant something very special, too. I mean, really, I had pretty damn good control anyway, but even the most controlled of us would have trouble in an intimate relationship with a human.

I needed a little time to think away from her delicious warmth and her scent that made me want to wake her and show her the depth of my love. I gently detangled myself from her embrace and lowered the storm shutter on the window with the remote from the nightstand. I knew if Eddie was determined to get in again, it wouldn't keep him out, but it would slow him down enough to let me get back to her before he could. I tucked the covers around her and gently kissed her soft lips, before slipping out the door and heading to the back deck.

As I slid open the sliding door, I saw that Jasper was sitting on the deck with his sketchbook. Damn, I forgot he often sat here in the early morning before dawn to sketch the wildlife or the sunrise. I almost turned around and went back inside, but then he spoke softly:

"Emmett, come on out. I won't bother you."

Why not? Jasper was my favorite brother and if I needed to talk, he was who I would talk to about this. I needed to work through some things on my own first, but I had no doubt that we would be talking before the sun rose in a few hours.

I nodded, knowing he would see it even though he was still sketching and dropped down into the chair next to him and propped my feet up on the railing. He was sitting in much the same manner, but was also smoking a cigarette. Damn, what I wouldn't give for a smoke right now. The nicotine, of course, did nothing to my impervious body now, but it was a human habit I had carried over from my change, as had Jasper. Really, we couldn't get lung cancer or emphysema, so why not, if it made us happy?

Jasper reached over and pushed the open pack of Marlboro Reds towards me on the table, never taking his eyes off his sketch. I accepted and lit one with the matches that were tucked into the outside of the pack.

We sat in complete silence, enjoying a smoke and the company. I stared up at the sky, marveling at how the vastness of the stars still made me feel insignificant and small.

I remembered that I had often done this exact same thing with my human cousin, Jack. We had been like brothers. He had been born only two months after me and we were inseparable. We used to go out at night after all our chores and schoolwork were complete. Sometimes we would have leftover biscuits and molasses to eat, but it was the Depression, so most times, we would just look at the stars and smoke a few home-rolled cigarettes. Working the tobacco fields had its benefits and we were never without a full pouch of the finest tobacco leaf Tennessee had to offer, while gazing at the stars over the mountaintops outside of our Gatlinburg home.

I felt the old familiar ache as I remembered the rampaging bear that had gotten me had killed Jack, too. I tried not to think about what that must have done to our mamas, losing us both like that. I shook it off and took another drag from the cigarette, rolling the smoke on my tongue before exhaling it again.

I would always be grateful for Rosalie saving me that day in the mountains. Even with all the pain she had put me through later, I knew that there had been a time when she truly loved me. Therein lay the problem, though. How could I be sure that this love that Bella and I shared was forever? I wasn't sure if I could survive another loss. Eternity was a long time to spend alone, but I would do it if another heartbreak were to be avoided.

"You know, Emmett, I think you're scared, and I get it. I probably get it better than anyone else would. I don't talk about that part of my life very often, it's not something I really like to remember, but I think it might help." Jasper began.

"When I was changed, it was for a very specific set of duties. I was to fight in Maria's army and, eventually, to lead them. The part I don't share as often is that I was also expected to fulfill her needs in bed. I was young and naïve, I fancied her my mate and I loved her irrationally. At first, she seemed to feel the same way, remember that my gifts were not as developed then as they are now, so I took her at her word that she loved me.

As the decades passed, I never suspected that she had others warming her bed when I was away training or fighting for her. By the time Peter and Charlotte convinced me to leave her and come with them, I was a shell of the man I had been. Maria had stolen every good human thing about me and I was truly the stuff of children's nightmares. You know about that part of my history, but what you don't know is that it very nearly killed me when she became tired of my moodiness and threw me to the side.

She had recently changed a Texas Ranger. I guess she always had a thing for Texans. She decided that he was her mate and it really blindsided me. As miserable as I was, I thought that she loved me as much as I loved her. I thought I would be alone for eternity after that and it was an almost unimaginable pain.

After some time with Peter and Charlotte, I began to feel the differences between their love and what I had shared with Maria. True love is just different from the love born of convenience or any infatuation.

A decade after leaving Maria and joining Peter and Charlotte, I met Alice in that diner in Philadelphia. When I felt the intense love she radiated towards me that day, it scared the shit out of me. I didn't want to hope for a mate again. I thought that once Alice knew who I really was, she would reject me, too," he paused, lost in thought and memory, as he lit another cigarette and passed me the pack to do the same.

"I was very lucky to find Alice, Emmett. She quite literally saved me from an eternity of loneliness and fear, but I was a stubborn asshole and fought being with her and especially being vulnerable with her. I was afraid every moment that I was with her, because I could feel that she was mine and I hers. It was scary to be dependant on someone for my happiness again.

Thank God, she was patient with me. I know her visions helped her to know the right things to do and say to help me. The night I told her I loved her, I sobbed for hours in her arms afterwards. I was a broken man and I threw myself on her mercy. I'm not really very proud of that, because it makes me seem weak, but love is worth the risk, Emmett.

You know as well as anyone that it has been hard for me until very recently to stick with our lifestyle. Alice gives me the strength to go on. Without her, I'm nothing. All the fear and pain I felt before confessing my love to her disappeared in the instant that she pressed her lips to mine and whispered my name. She had waited for me to be ready and I will be grateful the rest of my existence for that patience.

Make Bella yours and trust her, you will never be sorry for taking the chance with her. I love you, man; you are truly my brother and she is my sister. There are good things coming to you both. Heal her, but more importantly, let her heal you. You both deserve to be happy and fate has had a hand in finally bringing you together.

Emmett, Bella is not Rosalie, just as Alice isn't Maria. She truly loves you and will wait all of eternity for you to be ready to give yourself completely to her, but don't be the asshole that I was. Don't make her wait anymore. She will never leave you, Emmett. She is your Alice, man. We are two of the luckiest bastards on the planet to have second chances to do things right," he finished and thumped his cigarette over the railing, letting it sizzle out into the fresh snow that had just fallen and gathered his things.

"Thanks, Jazz." I murmured, as he left the deck. I was a lucky son of a bitch to have such a great brother. He had left the pack of Marlboros and a book of matches on the table. He knew I needed some time alone to digest what he had said.

I sat thinking and smoking on the deck until I heard a car turn onto the drive. Carlisle and Esme had arrived. The sun would be up in another hour, but I would wait to greet them until Bella woke up.

I rose from my seat and stubbed out my cigarette, pocketing the rest of the pack and book of matches. I would set them in the kitchen. All us guys liked a smoke sometimes, so I'd leave them out for Tiernan and Carlisle.

Tiernan and Carlisle had an interesting relationship. It was much more that of friends than I shared with him. Carlisle would always be my father, as Esme was my mother. Even Jasper had more of a friendly relationship with him, though he saw Carlisle and especially Esme as his parents, too. I guess being the "youngest" in the coven contributed to my feelings. I was glad they were here; I had missed them.

Silently, I went back to my room and curled up with Bella again. Jasper had clarified a lot of things for me. I needed to talk to Bella and make her understand that I was a broken man, but that I would love her for all eternity if she'd allow me. It was time to stop letting my failed relationship with Rosalie determine my future with Bella.

I disengaged the storm shutter, as I stroked her sleeping cheek gently; she half-smiled and whispered my name. She was a miracle and it was time to embrace what fate had in store for me. My un-beating heart lurched in my chest as I simply gazed at her beauty. This amazing woman was already mine, I just had to reach out and accept what she was offering to me. I could do that; I would do that.

When she woke up, I would take her out for breakfast and I would tell her how much she meant to me. I knew she would accept me and everything would be OK. I was still a nervous wreck, but I was at peace with the decision.

I resumed simply watching her sleep. She was even more beautiful at rest. I buried my face in her soft hair and breathed in her scent. The odor was like air to me and I couldn't imagine not having her in my arms.

Sometime later, the first rays of morning began to stream through the window. She stirred gently in my arms and rolled towards me. She was so cute as, with her eyes still closed, she craned her neck up and searched for my lips with hers.

"Good morning, sweetheart." I murmured, as my lips brushed hers gently, igniting a spark that brought a delicate shiver.

"Mmmm, Emmett, I missed you while I was sleeping," she sighed back and stretched, pressing her warm soft body against me.

I ran my fingers softly down her spine and felt her shiver at the sensation.

"Bella, let me take you to breakfast this morning. Carlisle and Esme arrived a couple hours ago and I want to talk to you before you see them later."

"Ok, Em. That sounds great. I'm starving! Let me grab a quick shower and we'll go," she replied as she hopped out of the bed and headed to the bathroom.

I was struck again at her beauty and newfound grace as I watched her cross the room before closing the bathroom door.

I quickly made the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a rugby shirt before I sat back down and flicked on the bedroom TV. There was a lacrosse game on, so I settled in to watch as I waited for her to finish.

She appeared again 15 minutes later and crossed the room to the closet. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a cream-colored cable knit sweater. I didn't bother to pretend to watch the game as she wiggled into black lace panties and a matching bra before pulling on the rest of her clothes and slipping her feet into a pair of light tan Sperry's. She left her hair down so that it brushed her shoulders in loose messy waves. She was an absolute vision of beauty and as I stared, she chuckled softly. Crossing the room towards me, she sat down on my lap and closed my mouth with the tip of her finger under my chin.

"Em, you're going to catch a fly," she purred seductively, as she gently kissed me, "Now, let's go get me some pancakes at IHOP."

She hopped off my lap and grabbed my big hand in her tiny one as we made our way downstairs and to my Jeep.

School was out for the Thanksgiving holiday, so the parking lot was relatively empty and we had our pick of tables. Our waitress took us to a booth in the back of the dining room. I couldn't take my eyes off of Bella as she looked over the menu, worrying her damn bottom lip in that sexy way of hers, as she made her choice.

I played with a cup of coffee, as she dug into her chocolate chip pancakes. I was starting to get nervous and hoped she wouldn't notice the slight tremor in my hands.

I should have know better, though, because as she took her last bite of pancakes and pushed away her plate, she reached across the table and steadied my hand under hers.

"Emmett, you obviously have something you want to say. Go ahead, honey. You don't need to be nervous. There is nothing you could say that would change how I feel about you," she said softly, gazing into my eyes.

I took an unneeded breath to try and steady my nerves and plunged in with both feet.

"Bella, these last few months with you have been amazing. I never thought I could need someone as much as I need you. I love you so much, Bella. You already know that, though.

What you don't know is that I am fucking scared to death of you. You could destroy me completely and I don't think I would survive being broken that way again.

I have a second chance with you, Bella. I don't want to waste it. I want you to be my mate, sugar. I want to live the rest of my existence with you by my side. I want you to be my partner, best friend, confidant, and…wife. What do you say, Bella, will you be my everything?" I finished, casting my eyes down to our clasped hands on the table.

My heart sank as she pulled her hand from mine. God damn it, Emmett! What the hell made you lay it all on the line like that? I was just getting ready to remove myself from the situation when I felt her slide into the booth next to me and press on my shoulders gently. She wanted me to turn and look at her.

Since I could deny her nothing, even if it meant handing her my poor undead heart so she could stomp on it, I obliged and turned to face her slightly, still looking down a bit. I couldn't bear to look into her eyes and see rejection.

"Emmett McCarty Cullen, you look at me right now!" she whispered fiercely.

I reluctantly raised my eyes to hers and was shocked to see absolute fury burning in them. Fury and something else just as passionate. Love??

"Emmett, I could fucking kill Rosalie for what she did to you. You are a wonderful man and any woman would be more lucky than I can express in words to have your love and devotion," she began, her voice shaking and fierce.

Her eyes softened and she took my hand in hers again, bringing it to her chest, laying it flat against her chest over her beating heart.

"Do you feel that, Emmett? It beats for you and only you and when it stops beating after I am changed, it will still be yours. I have been waiting for you as patiently as I could over these last few months for you to make your decision, but I decided the night of our first kiss, that if you would have me, I would be yours and spend the rest of my existence trying to heal your heart with my love. I'm not Rosalie, Emmett, and I will never leave you. You are the other half of my soul and nothing would make me happier than to be yours the same way I hope you'll be mine. Let me show you how happy forever can truly be. It would be my greatest honor to be your wife, Emmett," she finished as I crushed her to me.

Silent sobs wracked my body as I whispered in her ear over and over how much I loved her and thanked her for loving me enough to be patient. She stroked my back and let me cry, knowing I needed to break down and be vulnerable with her this one time.

Finally, I pulled back from her and kissed her softly, reverently. She smiled at me and stroked my cheek gently, pulling me from the booth so we could pay for the meal. She walked ahead of me and went back to the Jeep as I paid.

When I opened the door and slid behind the wheel, I immediately took her hand in mine. I needed to touch her. My emotions were still raw and I needed her comfort until I could fully collect them again. She squeezed gently and I knew in that moment that I had done the right thing. She knew I was broken, but she also knew that she could fix me. I would let her do that and I would try my damndest for the rest of my existence to show her how grateful I was for her strength.

I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the mall. She was going to have the ring of her dreams on her finger before we went home and talked to Carlisle and Esme.

We were giddy as a couple of teenagers as we walked into the jewelry store to pick her ring. As we approached the case, I leaned down to whisper in her ear,

"Baby, none of these rings are as beautiful as you are, but pick the one you want. Nothing is too good for you. Everything I have already belongs to you."

After a few moments of looking, she picked a platinum oval shaped diamond solitaire with sapphire baguettes on each side. It was understated, but looked perfect on her finger. It fit her personality perfectly. I paid for the ring and we walked hand in hand through the mall a little while before deciding to head back to the house to see Carlisle and Esme.

Alice and Jasper were standing on the porch waiting for us as we pulled up to the house. Damn little pixie, she always was a step ahead. I opened Bella's door and held out my hand as she got out. We walked hand in hand towards the porch and Alice & Jasper.

I grinned as I saw that Jasper was practically holding Alice down with a restraining hand on her shoulder. He released her as we got to them and she launched herself at me to wrap me in her arms, screeching that she was so excited for us, as Jasper enveloped Bella in a giant hug. I heard him whisper in her ear that he loved her and that he was glad the nudge he'd given me this morning had had the intended effect. It was nice to see my favorite siblings congratulating my fiancée. Truth be told, they loved her every bit as much as I did and I knew there was no one else in the world they would rather see with me and vice versa.

Alice snatched Bella away, as Jasper clapped me on the back in congratulations while we headed inside. I felt the wave of calm he sent my way as I began to worry about whether Rose would cause a scene over this. I hoped not, she had made her choice and I hoped she would be happy for me now. Tiernan, I knew, would be glad that we were happy together. He harbored a lot of guilt over the situation with Rosalie and I hoped my happiness with Bella would let him finally fully accept my forgiveness and let go of it.

I shouldn't have been worried, though. As we entered the foyer, Rose, Tiernan, Carlisle, and Esme were all waiting and grinning from ear to ear. Alice had obviously shared the news when the vision had hit her.

Bella rushed forward and threw herself into Carlisle and Esme's embrace. She sobbed openly in their arms as they sobbed along with her. It was good to see them together again; they had missed each other fiercely.

Edward had nearly destroyed us all when he had forced us to leave her 5 years ago. Sadly, he had truly destroyed himself. I hoped that the plan Bella and the rest of us were working on could eventually give us our brother back. I loved Edward and knew we all did, even with the horrible things he had done. I knew that Bella would be a special vampire; how could she not be, as special as she was now?

Bella returned to my side and tucked her hand into my back pocket. She was so tiny that she couldn't wrap her arm around my waist. It made me smile as I draped my arm around her and pulled her as close as I could.

Carlisle cleared his throat and spoke to us, "Well, it seems we have arrived right in time for the celebration. Emmett, son, I am so very happy that you've found this new love with Bella. I can tell that you two complete each other in the same way that Esme and I do. Congratulations, finding your true mate is a wonderful experience. It seems we also need to have a serious discussion about this plan you all have thought up for returning Edward to us. Shall we adjourn to the living room and talk?"


	11. The Plan

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's characters. I just like to make them do unlikely things… ;) The muse struck today, so you get two posts in one day! There is a small lemon at the end of this chapter.**

The Plan

**BPOV**

Everything felt a little bit surreal as Emmett and I joined the rest of our family, including Carlisle and Esme, in the living room. Emmett pulled me onto his lap as Jasper sat next to him and did the same for Alice. Rose and Tiernan, always a bit more reserved with their relationship, sat across from us, holding hands, on the other sofa. Esme sat next to Rose and Carlisle perched on the arm of the sofa, his arm thrown around her shoulders.

Carlisle glanced at us all and began,

"Well, Bella, would you like to begin the conversation?" he asked, calm and quiet as always.

I nodded and took a moment to gather my thoughts. I had to explain this correctly, so they all would understand. I loved Edward very much at one time and I would do anything in my power to try to bring him back from the abyss that his actions had flung him into.

"Please bear with me and don't interrupt as I try to explain this. I'm going to start at the beginning and work my way up to the current plan." I started.

Seven vampires nodded and I felt a wave of confidence come from Jasper. I reached over and squeezed his knee lightly in thanks. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again; an empathic brother sure does make life easier on a shy human girl!

I continued, "When you all left me 5 years ago, it broke something in me. I was an absolute shell of a person. I felt nothing for 4 long months. Eventually, I began to come out of that nothingness.

Jacob Black helped me to remember the Bella I was before I met any of you. Even when he imprinted a few months later and stopped seeing me, his pack brothers, Seth and Embry, continued to remind me that I was worth something and they helped me to survive.

I went on to graduate with honors from Forks High and went away to college at the University of Alaska Southeast. That first year was still very hard for me. Little things would set me off and I failed to really live outside of class work and staying in touch with the pack and a few friends from Forks.

Charlie was begging me to come visit for Christmas break, so I made plans to do that with him. Classes ended on a Wednesday, so I flew out to Seattle on Thursday morning. Seth had offered to pick me up from the airport, so I was expecting him to be there when I arrived. When he wasn't there, I tried to contact him and Embry, too. When I failed to get in touch with either of them, I began to worry.

You see, all this time, Victoria was hunting for me. Paul, Rachael, and Leah had gone so far as to come away to college with me and we shared an apartment near the campus. Paul and Leah regularly ran patrols and were essentially my bodyguards. Rachael was Paul's imprint and became one of my closest girlfriends.

I lived in constant fear that one of them, or the other pack members in La Push, would be hurt or killed because of me. Paul, Rachael, and Leah had opted not to come home over the break and were still at our apartment.

I quickly ran through my contact list on the phone. No answer with Jared, Quil, or any of the new members. I called Jacob's house and Billy told me to call Emily. All he knew was that Jake had hauled ass out of the house about 45 minutes earlier.

With shaking hands, I dialed Emily's number and she answered on the 1st ring. She obviously had been expecting my call. She explained that Victoria had been spotted running down the treaty line and the pack was out chasing her. She told me to stay put and that she was going to leave Sam a note and come pick me up at the airport.

I told her not to, she was 8 and half months pregnant at the time with their 1st child and I couldn't let her get in the middle of what was probably an ambush. Victoria, Laurent, and Riley would know how to draw the pack away. I imagined that they were even now on their way to the airport for me.

I rented a car immediately and tried to call Charlie. I wasn't able to reach him on any of his lines. At that moment, I knew what Emily had been hiding. Victoria had gotten to him. At that moment, I knew that my father was dead and my friends were risking their lives for me. I was more alone at that moment than I had ever been in my life. Phil and Renee had been killed in a car accident six months earlier and I knew that if Charlie was gone, I truly had no one left.

As I headed out to the rental lot to gather my car, Riley jumped me. He was about to sink his teeth into my neck, when Edward stopped him." I paused here, as there was a collective gasp from the family. They obviously had no idea that I had ever seen Edward again.

I continued, "I watched Edward rip him to pieces and save me yet again. When he finished, we sat in the car and talked for hours. Please understand that I was past the grief at this point, but I was so angry. Not a day has gone by since that time that I haven't wished away my behavior. You see, I thanked him for saving me and then I told him to get the hell out of my car because I never wanted to see his fucking face again. I blamed him for everything: the loss of Jake, my inability to move on, losing all of you, Charlie's death, everything. He accepted my rage and left. He even apologized for the pain he'd caused me. So, you see, I broke him. He is lost now because I couldn't forgive him then.

I drove to Forks, crying so hard I couldn't even see out of the windshield, but somehow I made it to my house. Sam and Jared were standing outside the door when I arrived and Emily's car was in the driveway. I knew already, but their presence there confirmed my fears. Victoria and Laurent had been destroyed but not before Charlie. My sweet kind father had died because I had inadvertently pulled him into the supernatural.

I took a semester off from college to settle Charlie's affairs. I sold the house and I left Forks that summer. I have never returned. For the next 3 years, I healed. I finished school and graduated Summa Cum Laude and moved here in July. Throughout those years, I slowly forgave you all for the abandonment. I knew that what I had done to Edward was wrong, but I didn't know how to fix it.

Meeting Jasper at that party in July brought clarity back to my life. Becoming involved with Emmett healed the final piece of my broken heart.

Please don't think that my desire to become like you all is just the whim of a silly girl. There is really nothing left for me in the world and now that I have you all back, I want to make up for the time we lost. I believe that I can help Edward, but being less breakable is absolutely necessary before that can happen.

The only other thing I can say is that I am sorry for the pain I have caused your family and I hope that I haven't ruined our renewed relationship," I finished what I had to say and detangled myself from Emmett's embrace.

He tightened his arms around me for a moment until I whispered, "Please, Emmett."

He let me go and I ran out the back door to the back deck. I wanted to give the family time to talk about what I had revealed to them. They needed to digest my story and I needed to steel myself for their possible rejection. I grabbed the communal cigarettes and pack of matches from the kitchen counter on my way out.

As I sat on the deck, smoking with trembling hands, I realized how cruel it had been for me to accept Emmett's proposal without telling him everything first, but I was selfish. I truly loved him. If he chose to leave me now, I would let him go and I would somehow survive, but the tears were flowing down my face at the prospect.

It was cold outside and I began to shiver fiercely, but I couldn't make myself go back inside. After a few more moments, I felt someone wrap a coat around me. I mumbled a soft "thanks" and was surprised when it was Tiernan's rich brogue that responded with "you're welcome."

"Bella, may I sit with you for a moment?" he asked gently.

"You know, Bella, smoking with kill you," he said with a small grin as he sat down next to me and lit his own, draping his arm around my shoulders.

"Bella, of all the Cullens, I know you the least," he began, "but I know enough to be absolutely sure that you never meant to hurt Edward so much. He's not blameless in this mess that has been created. I know Edward even less than I know you, but he strikes me as one prone to melodrama.

You had every right to be angry with him. He did cost you almost everything you held dear at that point in your life.

I'd like to tell you my story, if you don't mind?" he asked, pausing for my answer.

I nodded and turned slightly to face him.

He continued, "I'm not sure you know how very similar our lives are, Bella. I, too, was a mortal who fell in love with a vampire. Her name was Allyson and I loved her beyond all reason and she loved me, too. I was, of course, drawn into her world. She was a member of a small coven that drank from animals, too, not unlike the Cullens.

There was an opposing coven in the area and they became aware of my existence. They began to pick off my family members and friends one by one. Allyson and her coven left me, hoping to draw the other coven away so that I could salvage what was left of my life. I was devastated that she wouldn't take me with her.

Six months passed. I finished medical school and began working at a small country hospital near Belfast. As far as I knew, all mythical beasts had given up their pursuit of me. That Easter, I traveled to Derry to visit my mum and da. When I arrived, I found them bound in their bedroom and before I could react, Gavin, who was the head of the opposing coven, had blocked my escape.

He forced me to watch as his mate, Sinead, tortured and drained my mum and da over the next several hours. I was resigned to my fate and had nothing left to live for anyway. My family and friends had all been butchered and Allyson and her coven had fled.

As I offered my neck to Gavin, knowing he would kill me anyway, Allyson arrived. Her brother, Ronin, came with her and together they killed Sinead and Gavin. However, Gavin had thrown me when they entered and my back had been broken. I begged for them to just let me die, but Allyson could not bear my death.

She bit me before my heart could stop, triggering the change. I cursed her name and her entire coven for the three days that I burned. When I woke to this life, I cursed her to her face and turned and left. I never looked back and I ignored her pleas and cries for forgiveness.

I wandered alone for three long weeks. I never touched a human and survived on deer and sheep during that time. My desire to never be like the human drinkers, Sinead & Gavin, helped me to stay the course.

At the end of the three weeks, Ronin came to me and begged me to return. Allyson had become inconsolable and refused even to eat. I did not blame Ronin for what I considered Allyson's sins, so I agreed to come back with him, but I warned him that I could not be a mate for Allyson and that I would stay only until she agreed to hunt again.

He disagreed with my decision, but feared for his sister's survival, so he agreed to my terms. I never wavered in my politeness to Allyson and her family after that, but I also never forgave her. She jumped in the fire 3 years after I was changed.

I have blamed myself for her death every day for the last 89 years and will continue to do so until I return from my final hunt. I withheld the forgiveness that she so desperately needed and spent my first years as an immortal consumed with hatred.

Bella, I tell you this story so that you can understand that, of all of the Cullens, I understand what happened and will support your plan the most. You, my sister, are doing the very thing I was not strong enough to do for Allyson. I am here to help you in whatever capacity I can," he finished speaking then and gently wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"Bella, they are hurting right now for their son and brother, but you are their sister and daughter. There is nothing you can say to them that will destroy that love. Emmett loves you and you will not be rid of him so easily," he said, wrapping me in his arms.

"Thank you, Tiernan. I'm very sorry for the pain you've suffered. I'll be here for you, too, brother," I replied softly.

We sat in companionable silence, smoking and gazing out across the backyard. Eventually, my stomach growled, so I got up and, telling Tiernan to let them know that I had gone home for awhile if they asked, I took my bag and keys and drove back to my loft.

When I arrived home, I went straight to the kitchen and made a frozen pizza. I grabbed the gin and tonic and made a drink. I ate some pizza washing it down with a gin and tonic. I went upstairs and changed into sweatpants and a UA-Anchorage sweatshirt before falling across my bed and letting my tears overtake me.

I cried for hours until I had no tears left. I cried for the girl I had been, I cried for Charlie, I cried for Jake. I cried for the pain I had caused Edward because of my anger and finally I cried for the life I was afraid was now lost to me with Emmett. As I twisted the new ring on my finger, I sobbed, raw wrenching shudders, as I wondered when I would have to remove it. No matter what Tiernan said, I was afraid that the pain I had caused would be too much and he could never love me now knowing who I really was underneath all my civility. Eventually, I slept and knew nothing more.

I woke sometime in the early hours of the morning with my stomach rebelling from the hours of heaving sobs. I ran to my bathroom and prayed for a release from the sorrow. I retched even as the sobs continued to shake my body.

**EmPOV**

As Bella ran from the room, I rose to follow her, but sat again as Tiernan gestured that he would go. It went against my every instinct to allow anyone else to comfort my mate, my Bella, but at Alice's touch, I let him go.

Esme was sobbing into Carlisle's chest. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was because of Edward's pain or maybe she feared losing Bella again.

Rose was sitting on the sofa looking at me with pity and Alice and Jasper were both silently sitting together. Jasper, to his credit, was trying to calm the emotions in the room and had a grimace of pain on his face as he absorbed Esme and Carlisle's. Alice was stroking his back and whispering in his ear.

After a few moments, he whispered that he was sorry and they left going to their room. He couldn't help it, the emotions were too powerful and he was in physical pain because of it.

Rose stood and began to come towards me, but I growled at her and spun on my heel and slammed out of the front door. I knew I loved Bella and I understood what had happened with Edward. He made a bad choice and it had cost Bella more than she could bear.

I loved my family though, too, and I couldn't reconcile the pain she had caused over the last few years because of Edward's decline.

Frustrated with my conflicting emotions, I ran into the nearby woods. I ran until I reached the Canadian border. Then, I hunted until I couldn't hold another drop. Still keyed up and angry, I smashed trees until the rage passed. Finally spent, I sank to my knees and just lay there, trying to come to terms with the mess that we had all created when we left Bella.

The sun began to set and Alice approached from the tree line. I felt her gentle touch as she embraced my shuddering body.

**APOV**

I knew, of course, where to find Emmett. He needed to know that his future with Bella had not been compromised. It was always tricky to tell someone about their future…to much information at the wrong time could spoil the results and Bella and Emmett had an incredible future to look forward to.

I made my way over to my shuddering brother and wrapped him gently in my arms as I organized my thoughts. As he calmed down in my embrace, I began to tell him about his future.

"Emmett, why are you here? Nothing that was said today changes how you feel about Bella or how she feels about you. You love her, Emmett. She is sorry for what she did to Edward all those years ago, but he holds a large part of that blame as well. All of us owe her a greater apology that we can ever deliver. We truly did destroy her life. What she said to Edward was wrong, but he should have known that she was lashing out in anger and not truly blaming him. Emmett, I can't tell you everything to do with you future. That is my burden alone to bear, but you must go to her, Emmett, and reassure her of your love. She won't survive another loss and neither will you. Go to her, she's gone back to her loft, and love her, Emmett. You both need each other. The rest of the family is sad, but not angry with her. Make her see that and bring her back to us all." I finished still holding him.

He nodded and we stood, running back towards our home. He nodded to me in thanks as he jumped into his Jeep and drove down the drive.

**EmPOV**

I couldn't get to her loft fast enough. I was in physical pain, as I thought of her alone and hurting there. I glanced at the sky seeing the first faint lightening of dawn. It was so faint I was sure human eyes would not yet detect it. I parked and ran the three flights of stairs to her door.

As I fit the key in the lock, I could hear her sobbing and retching inside. Using every bit of supernatural speed I possessed, I ran to my lover. She had crawled back to her bed and was sobbing brokenly, her face buried in the pillows.

I gently stretched out next to her and pulled her into my arms. She began to sob more violently as I stroked her hair, kissing her all over her face and neck, trying to ease her suffering.

"I'm so sorry, Emmett," she sobbed as I continued my ministrations, rocking her gently in my arms, my own still heart breaking at her sorrow.

"Shhh, Bella, shhh. I know, baby. There's nothing to forgive. I love you, sugar." I crooned, softly in her ear.

She was almost inconsolable, so I did the only thing I could to show her my love remained unchanged.

I pressed my lips to hers and relished the low moan she responded with as I pulled her tighter against me. I would show her the full depth of my love and she would never fear for its loss again.

I would comfort her with my body and she would feel my love. I slowly removed her sweatshirt and sweat pants, pausing to love each inch of bare skin their removal revealed. As I lavished her beautiful body with affection, I murmured my love for her between kisses. She gradually stopped sobbing and though tears continued to fall on her lovely cheeks, I could feel that she was accepting the comfort I was offering her.

I removed my own clothing quickly and fit myself between her parted thighs. As I slipped inside her and we became one, I sobbed out her name and she pulled me tighter to her and it was her turn to comfort me.

We moved slowly against each other until finally peacefully falling over the edge together. I gathered her into my arms as her eyes fluttered closed and whispered softly in her ear,

"Bella, there is nothing that can ever happen that will take me away from you. You are my everything."

She smiled softly as sleep took her. I held her tightly against me, afraid that fate would intercede yet again and steal our happiness. I would become a pile of ash before I would leave her side. I prayed it would never come to that as I pressed my face into her hair and breathed her in.


	12. I Hate Everything About You

**"I Hate Everything About You"**

Every time we lie awake  
After every hit we take  
Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet

Every roommate kept awake  
By every sigh and scream we make  
All the feelings that I get  
But I still don't miss you yet

Only when I stop to think about it

I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you

Every time we lie awake  
After every hit we take  
Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet

Only when I stop to think about it

I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you

Only when I stop to think  
About you, I know  
Only when you stop to think  
About me, do you know

I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
You hate everything all about me  
Why do you love me

I hate  
You hate  
I hate  
You love me

I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you

_**(I Hate Everything About You – **__**Three Days Grace)**_

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all it's characters. This is just my take on their continuing adventures. Three Days Grace owns the above song. I just love it! ;) The following post is stream of consciousness, so it may be confusing, I'll answer questions as they come up!**

I Hate Everything About You

**EPOV** - _nope, not Emmett ;)_

The blackouts are getting worse. I can't tell what is real anymore. All I know is I can still smell her. Bella…

The last time I saw her, she hated me. Hated me, and all I could do was take it. God, I hate her. I want to love her.

I had taken everything from her. Everything but the one thing she wanted me to take, her human life. But, she took everything from me, too. I lost my family, my future, and my mind.

Are you still insane if you think you're insane? Why the hell can I still smell her? It's like she's all over my clothing…that can't be. That wasn't real! I didn't hurt her.

Fuck you, Bella! I'm not your whipping boy. I fucking saved you from Riley and this is how you repay me? I should have let James drain you, would have saved me the trouble.

Damn phone … shut up! SHUT UP! Carlisle, piss off! I'm not who you think I am anymore. Edward is dead. She killed him. I can't be saved. Who the fuck am I?

I'm the angel of death and I'm coming for you, Bella. Don't fear the Reaper, baby.

Save me, oh God, someone please, save me. I'm so scared. Don't let the darkness take me…

Bella…please.

I'm coming for you...


	13. Cocoon

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. This is just one possible future that came from my crazy mixed-up psyche! **

Cocoon

**BPOV**

I woke up slowly the next morning. I was still tired, more emotionally than physically, but I felt safe wrapped in Emmett's arms. I knew we would have to talk about what happened with Edward, but I couldn't face it yet. I just wanted to bask in his love for a little while before I had to face the reality that I may have destroyed my relationship with the family.

I opened my eyes and saw that the first light of dawn was just beginning to peek through my windows. I shifted slightly and gazed at Emmett. He lay on his side, facing me slightly. His eyes were closed and a small smile graced his lips. Had I not known it was impossible, I would have sworn he was asleep and dreaming of something beautiful.

I gently kissed his lips and whispered, "Good morning, baby. What are you doing?"

"Mmmm, good morning, Bells. I'm dreaming of you, of course!" he murmured back, his smile broadening to show his adorable dimples.

Smiling myself, I snuggled closer into his hard body, tucking my head into the crook of his shoulder, relishing in the feel of his smooth cool skin against mine. He leaned over to bury his face in my hair, inhaling deeply and letting out a contented sigh.

I hated to ruin the calm mood, but I needed to talk about the whole messed up situation I had created. Taking a deep breath, I plunged into my apology.

"Emmett, I am so very sorry for the pain I've caused you all. I'll never be able to truly make up for it. What I did to Edward was horrific and I don't deserve the forgiveness you've already shown me. I can't expect the rest of your family to extend me the same unconditional love, especially in light of what I've done…" I paused, unsure of what else to say, after all, nothing I could say would undo the damage I had wrought.

He had begun to trace little nonsense patterns on the smooth skin of my hip while I spoke, as I paused, he continued the motions for a moment, just letting the silence settle over us.

"Bella, honey, you have nothing to apologize for. If anything, we should be begging for your forgiveness. We listened to Edward when we should have listened to our hearts and never left you. We all brought those horrible things to pass in your life by not staying with you and keeping you safe. Edward should damn well have known better than to take what you said to heart. You were hurting and needed to lash out, and, whether you want to admit it or not, what you said to him, while cruel, had a grain of truth to it. I'm so sorry that we weren't there when you needed us; that I wasn't there. Please let go of this guilt, honey. You have nothing to worry about; we all love you and understand what happened. We will work together to help Edward," he punctuated this little soliloquy with a soft kiss on the crown of my head.

The uncharacteristic tenderness of the moment attacked my tear ducts and, yet again, I found myself crying silently. This time, though, I was crying in relief. I hadn't lost him or, hopefully, the rest of the family. I reached up and scrubbed away the tears, not wanting to spend any more time on them.

Emmett tilted my head up and softly brushed his lips across mine. There was a promise in this kiss; it was one of comfort and reassurance. Like our lovemaking last night, he was simply trying to show me with his body that he was and always would be mine and, no matter what difficulties faced us, we would always face them together.

He seemed to know that I needed the physical reassurance because he was compliant as I deepened the kiss and slipped myself onto him. He moaned softly as I settled myself fully and began to roll my hips gently against him. We found a gentle rhythm and the only sounds were our soft moans and sighs of pleasure as we found our peaks together.

As we were basking in the afterglow, Emmett's cell began to vibrate on the nightstand. He sighed and reluctantly shifted to grab it. Flipping open the cover, he saw a text message from Alice. Reading it aloud, she asked when we would be home. He looked at me, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"I'm not ready yet, Emmett. I know it's selfish of me, but I want to hide in our cocoon for a little while longer. Stay with me today. Tomorrow, I'll face them, but I need you with me today." I said, knowing it was pathetic and cowardly, but needing it just the same.

"Baby, you are my priority. Whatever you need is what I'll do," he replied, texting Alice back with the information that we would see them tomorrow.

Putting the phone back on the nightstand, he pulled me snuggly against him again and kissed me softly as I marveled at how lucky I was to have this man in my life and my bed.

Rising from the bed, we made our way to the bathroom and showered. Emmett pulled on a fresh pair of soft flannel sleep pants and padded downstairs as I was dressing. I settled on a soft thermal shirt and my own flannel pants, grabbing an old quilt from the closet before also heading downstairs, the odor of fresh coffee drawing me towards the kitchen.

"I made you some coffee, Bells." Emmett called from the sofa, already engrossed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV.

With a start, I realized it was Thanksgiving Day and I was keeping Emmett away from his family. Man, I was really a selfish bitch! Coffee in hand, I sank down on the sofa next to him just as the Snoopy balloon was making its appearance.

"Em, I forgot it was Thanksgiving. You can go home if you need to. I don't want to create any more issues…"I murmured.

"Bella, babe, it's not like we fix a turkey and all the trimmings. I'm where I want to be, so relax. We can see everyone tomorrow. Look, it's Spiderman…" he replied, turning his attention back to the parade, effectively ending my protestations.

I couldn't help my giggle at the look of boyish excitement on his face. That was my Emmett, happy and in awe of life's little pleasures. We spent the rest of the day on the sofa, wrapped up in the old quilt my Granny Swan had made, watching the parade and, later, playing video games.

By the time we crawled back in bed that night, I was feeling better emotionally and was ready to see the rest of the family in the morning. It helped knowing that Emmett and Tiernan were already on my side. I would apologize to everyone else. I was the most concerned about Alice, Carlisle, and Esme. They were the closest to Edward. It would be their hearts that would have been most affected by my harshness to him.

With that worry in my head, I sank into an uneasy sleep, eager to reconcile and put this behind me, so I could focus on my change and helping Edward.


	14. Face the Music

**DISCLAIMER: S.M. owns everything Twilight.**

Face the Music

**JPOV**

I could feel how nervous everyone in the family was. Alice, as usual, was calm and collected. She, no doubt, already knew how things would play out. If she was calm, then I was, too. I trusted her completely. My job today would be to keep everything running on an even keel.

Bella and Emmett would be arriving soon, so I closed my book and headed downstairs to the living room. Alice was already there and, as I took my place beside her, Rose and Tiernan arrived and sat on the loveseat.

Tiernan was calm. As much as I hated what had happened between Emmett and Rosalie, I couldn't really blame Tiernan for it. In the early days of his arrival, he had constantly been in turmoil emotionally. He instantly was attracted to Rose and at the same time, incredibly guilty for it. He carried a deep pain inside and it colored his every emotion. Of all of us, he was the only one that could really understand Bella's pain and past actions. I could feel that no matter what happened today, he was determined to stick with her. The brotherly love and protectiveness towards her were very strong, second only to my own towards her. They had obviously formed quite a bond in the short amount of time they had known each other. I was surprised yet again at how much she meant to our family, even our newest member was irrevocably bound to her.

Rose was, as usual, a whirlwind of emotion. She no longer resented Bella. I could feel her acceptance, but mixed in with that acceptance was a healthy dose of irritation, jealousy, and betrayal. I would have to make sure that acceptance stayed her dominant emotion during the meeting we were getting ready to have. I could only imagine the reasons behind her other latent emotions. After all, feeling them didn't mean I always understood them. I imagined that the irritation was because Bella was so much the center of attention for us, not just now, but in general. The jealousy would probably stem from that as well, though also from her new relationship with Emmett. The betrayal was confusing me, though. She was fiercely loyal to our family, so I wondered if she saw Bella's harsh words to Edward as a betrayal of the love she had always professed to Edward. I made a mental note to speak to Rose later and explore that. Years of posing as twins had given us a strong relationship. It had been strained somewhat because of her abandonment of Emmett, but I could draw on that history to try and help her deal with this latest development.

Alice was calm, but also a touch conflicted. I knew that of all of our siblings, she was closest to Edward. It just made sense that the psychic and the mind reader would understand each other best. She didn't blame Bella for Edward's degeneration, but she was sad for the man she truly thought of as her brother. I knew she would do everything she could to help him and would push Bella to do so as well. I would need to make sure I could rein her in if she began to meddle too much. My sweet girl didn't always know when to act on her visions. Sometimes the future just needed to work itself out without intervention.

Esme and Carlisle were probably the most torn over their loyalties. Carlisle especially had a strong bond with Edward. Edward was his first companion and much more than a son to him. They had practiced medicine together and had lived a long decade before Esme had joined them. Carlisle was a compassionate man and it hurt him that Edward had fallen so far. I could feel the turmoil of his emotions as he thought of the woman he had long considered his daughter. He was ultimately a logical man, so I imagined that he would do what he could to ease Bella's mind and he clearly wanted her as a part of our family. He was supportive of her and Emmett's relationship and had already forgiven her for contributing to Edward's decline, though he regretted it had happened.

Esme was in an extreme amount of anguish. I grimaced slightly as she took her place next to Carlisle. Her heart was broken for both of her children. She was very guilty over our abandonment of Bella and angry with Edward for forcing it on us, but at the same time angry with Bella for lashing out at him. She knew it was irrational to feel that anger at Bella, so she was burying it to deal with later. Overall, she was exuding a huge amount of love. It was the one emotion that constantly flowed from her. There was nothing in the world that could change her love for any of her children and I was struck again with my own pang of love for the woman who was truly my mother in this life. She looked over and smiled gently as she felt the love I sent to her.

As for me, I was the least close to Edward. We just had never seen eye to eye on much of anything. I had disagreed with bringing Bella into our world, but once she was there, I had done what I could to help. Edward had blocked me at every opportunity, probably not wholly without reason, from forming a closer relationship with her. Bella and I had developed a very strong friendship since reconnecting and nothing that had happened or could happen would cause me to abandon my sister and friend now. Every time I was around her and Emmett, I could feel the love between them, and actually, I had felt it weeks before they were ready to declare it. Emmett was my brother and my best friend. He had always trusted me and had supported me even in the dark days following my attack on Bella's birthday. I was nothing if not loyal to him. He was happy with Bella and I would be damned if I would let anything hurt either of them, even if it was our family I had to protect them from. I was relieved, however, that the emotions seeping from my family members didn't seem to place blame on Bella and for the most part wanted to comfort her and reassure her of her place with us.

I felt the tension rise for a moment, as we heard them arrive. As they opened the door and entered, I was hit full force with their emotions.

Emmett was feeling fiercely protective of his mate. He was in full on protection mode. He was determined that none of us would say or do anything to cause her any pain. I imagined that he would resemble one of the irritable grizzlies that he favored on his hunts. I wasn't ready to start manipulating emotions yet, but I knew I might have to calm him down a little bit later. Emmett was a touch volatile even when he didn't feel like his mate was in danger. The instinct to protect a mate was one of the strongest a vampire could experience; it would be wise to tread lightly when it was engaged.

Bella, as usual, was on emotional overload. She was so nervous her heart was fluttering like a hummingbird as they came to the living room and stood in the doorway. She was paler than usual and I could feel intense dread rolling off of her in waves. Her love for us was present, but she didn't fully trust us not to abandon her again. A quiet growl tried to escape me as I was struck again by how badly our abandonment had hurt her. I decided it would help more than hurt to send a small dose of calmness to her before she collapsed. Her tension visibly decreased as it hit her and she turned and gave me an appreciative half-smile as she followed Emmett to the opposite end of the sofa from Alice and me. I noticed her eyes flick towards Tiernan. He leaned over and squeezed her knee lightly as she sat down and I could feel her relief and his support slip into the whirling emotions in the room.

"Well, I know Bella and Edward the least of all of you," he began, "but I know Bella well enough that I have no doubt she is torturing herself for her role in Edward's darkness. I wasn't a part of this family when the events in question were put into play, but I support Bella. She is trying to right what she sees as a wrong she has done to Edward and I think that she deserves our support. I would give anything to right the wrongs of my past," he finished and took his seat, lightly touching Bella's knee again as he did.

No one spoke for a few moments. I could feel Carlisle deliberating, so I knew he was getting ready to speak, but before he could, I felt a strong burst of determination from Bella as she cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Tiernan. Your support means a lot to me," she began, her voice soft, but determined, "I know that I have hurt you all with what I said to Edward. Please know that I would never willingly hurt any of you. I have no family of my own anymore and the last few months reminded me that I may not have a biological family, but I do have you all. There is nothing I can say here today that will undo what I said to Edward and I apologize for the pain I brought to you all because of it. I will not, however, apologize for the anger I felt at that time. It hurt me when you all left me. I've moved past that hurt, for the most part and I don't blame you anymore for the things that have happened in my life. Jasper, you can feel that, right?" she asked, looking into my eyes and waiting for confirmation.

I nodded, but remained silent so she could finish before the rest of us voiced our opinions.

"I hope that you all understand the reason that I lashed out at Edward, but I also hope you all understand how much I wish I could take it back. Please forgive me for what has happened to your family. I'll accept whatever decisions you all make about my place here and it will not change how I feel about any of you," she finished, sinking back down onto the sofa and into the comforting embrace that Emmett offered.

I could feel his pride in her strength as he circled her once again in his arms. As she sat, Carlisle cleared his throat,

"Bella, I speak for myself and Esme when I tell you that you are our daughter as much as Edward is our son. It hurts us to see him in such pain, but we are deeply ashamed of how we treated you all those years ago. We should not have left you after bringing you into our world. It was irresponsible, but more importantly it was callous and a betrayal of the love we had and still have for you. I believe I speak for all of us," he paused here to look at each of us in turn, "when I say that we are ashamed that we allowed Edward to force us to abandon you and we are grateful that you have been able to move past that betrayal and find it in your wonderfully forgiving heart to give us another chance."

As he finished, she looked up from her lap and saw the nodding heads of seven vampires. We all loved her and needed her to understand that there was nothing she could do to alienate us from her. There had been mistakes made on both sides, but love would heal those hurts.

Her tears began to fall in earnest as she saw us all nodding in agreement and I was almost overcome by the love that she projected out over all of us. Never had I felt a familial love so strong and pure.

"So, I believe we have another issue to discuss," Carlisle continued, "Bella, are you positive that you want to be changed? If so, then I say we all vote as a family. This will impact all of us and we should all have a say in the decision."

"Yes, Carlisle," she replied, "I am absolutely positive of my decision. Everything in my life has led me to this point. I love Emmett and wish to spend eternity with him, but I also need to help Edward. I don't see how I can do that without changing. I am ready to fully join your family."

He nodded and looked at Esme, she would vote first before continuing around the room to each of us. Carlisle would reserve his vote for last.

"Yes, Bella. You are already my daughter. This will just make it official." Esme said, smiling at Bella.

"I know I haven't been close to you in the past. The past few months have been very important to me, Bells. I'm glad that I've finally been able to have you as a friend and sister. So, my vote is yes. Let's make it official. I will be there for you in every way I can for your newborn year. Lean on me as your big brother. I love you, Bells." I said, staring at her and willing her to feel how much I loved and supported her.

Alice was next, "Bella, I have always loved you. You were and are my best friend and sister. I love you and I hope you can forgive me for leaving you. I should have never let Edward do that to us. Yes, Bella, I want you to become a vampire. I have always seen that as your destiny."

The silence following Alice's vote was deafening. Bella was sobbing quietly and so was Alice. The two had always been close and I knew the pain Alice had been in after we had left. Alice blew Bella a kiss as Emmett held her. I took Alice's tiny hand in mine and rubbed soothing circles into her palm as they pulled themselves together.

It was now Emmett's turn, "Bella, baby, I love you with all my heart. I vote yes. My reasons are selfish; I want you by my side forever. I love Edward; too, he's my brother. Hopefully, your change can help him, but, mostly, I know that if something happened to you, I wouldn't survive it. I need you, Bella, always." He finished speaking and kissed her hard and deep, wiping away her tears.

"Besides," he continued with a mischievous grin, "you are going to be one smoking hot vampire!"

Bella laughed and playfully swatted him on the arm, but, even without my ability, I could tell his lame joke had eased the tension and heaviness of the moment. Emmett might look like a big dumb jock, but he was very wise in his own way. He might not have been a "gifted" vampire, but he was definitely the comic relief in our family and the glue that held us together.

"Well, you all already know where I stand. I vote yes. Bella, anything you need, I'm here to help with." Tiernan said, as the chuckling died down.

"Bella, there were many reasons why I never wanted you to become a vampire. I'd very much like to talk to you privately about that later. Over the last few months, I've had the opportunity to see what a good person you are. I know you love Emmett and I'm grateful that you could be here for him. No matter what's has happened between us, I do still care about him very much. I would never choose this life for myself and don't really understand why you are, but Edward is my oldest brother and I can't stand to see him in pain anymore. If your choice can help him, and I believe it can, then I will support it as much as possible. I vote yes." Rosalie finished in a soft but firm voice.

Emmett gave her a gentle nod. There was still pain there, but time would allow them to heal and have a relationship again one day.

"Thank you, Rose. I would very much like to get to know you better and talk later in private," Bella responded.

Finally, we had all voted, only Carlisle was left. He cleared his throat and began,

"Bella, you have grown into a beautiful young woman. I am proud of what you have overcome, but am sorry for our hand in causing it. You are making a very serious decision, but it appears that you are doing so with good information and after much thought. I agree with the rest of my family. I vote yes. Welcome to the Cullen Family. You have always been a part of it, my daughter. Now, there are simply the rest of the details to confirm. Have you thought about when you want to undergo the change?"

"I would like to finish this semester at UA. It wouldn't be fair to leave Dr. Thomas without a TA. I would like to spend a final Christmas and New Year's Eve as a human, so I guess, New Year's Day would be good for me…" Bella replied without hesitation.

She obviously had thought carefully about her plan. I could sense no hesitation or doubt coming from her. She was slightly nervous about the change, but that was to be expected. All in all, she was handling this very calmly.

"I think that will be fine, Bella. That is more than enough time to prepare. We will need to stage your death. A car accident on the icy roads would probably be best. Also, please bring anything you need or want from your loft to our home over the next few weeks and I will set up your accounts with our banker. If there is anything you wish to transfer to that account, Jasper can help you with that. Jasper, will you set things up with Mr. Jenks? Bella will need a new identity as well," Carlisle finished, looking at me for a response.

"Of course, Carlisle. Bella, did you have a name in mind or any preference?" I asked.

"Well, I probably should have talked to you in private first, Tiernan, but, would you mind if I used your last name? We look pretty similar, so perhaps I could be your younger sister?" she asked, looking over at Tiernan.

I felt his burst of love as she asked her question and knew it meant a lot to him. He was still trying to get used to having a family and Bella's request helped him to feel as if she was his true sister. I remembered well that feeling; it had taken me a long time to feel that I fit in here, too.

"Bella, I would be honored for you to be the newest Sullivan. Isabella Marie Sullivan…it does have a nice ring to it!" he said, grinning broadly at Bella.

"OK, then. That's most of the main details. I'll call Jenks later today and begin the process." I replied.

With those details out of the way, Rose stood and glided from the room with a parting smile to Bella. Carlisle and Esme joined her soon after, leaving Bella after hugs and whispered words of love. Tiernan pulled her into a hug and thanked her for wanting to use his name, before also leaving the room. Alice had been the first to leave, claiming she needed to get something from our room for Bella.

I was just getting ready to hug Bella and join Alice upstairs, when Bella spoke again.

"Jasper, would you mind if I talked to you for a few minutes? Emmett, I'll come find you in a little bit, OK?" she asked.

"Sure, Bella. I'm going to go upstairs and pack some clothes for later, maybe watch a movie," Emmett replied.

He didn't feel curious about what Bella wanted to talk to me about, so I imagined he must already know. I was a bit curious, though. I wonder what she wanted to talk to me about that Emmett couldn't answer for her…

I got ready to sit down again, but Bella laid her hand on my arm to stop me.

"Could we go outside, Jasper? I don't want to talk in here," she said, quietly.

"No problem, Bella. Is outside on the deck, OK?" I replied, curiosity definitely becoming my dominant emotion.

She nodded and took my outstretched hand as we crossed over to the sliding glass door that led to the large back deck. Sitting down side by side on the swing, I turned slightly to face her and waited expectantly for her to speak.

"Jaz, I was wondering if you would tell me a little bit about what to expect my first year. Edward never would go into detail and Emmett gave me some information, but I think he's trying not to scare me with all the details. I know that you'll tell me the truth and not sugar coat it, plus Emmett said you have the most experience with newborns and Edward had told me that years ago, too," she said, still speaking quietly, but holding my gaze. She was determined to go into the change as prepared as possible.

I decided to start at the beginning. She needed to know a bit of my story and it would help her to understand the process better. I took a deep breath and rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, exposing my arms to the elbows.

"Bella, I think it would best if you knew a bit more about my past, so you can understand why I am something of a newborn vampire expert. Can you see the marks on my arms?" I asked her.

"Yes, some of them are very faint, but others I can see fairly easily," she responded, reaching out to gently stroke one of the crescent shaped marks before continuing, "How did this happen to you, Jasper? There are so many…" she trailed off, reaching under the sleeve of her shirt to absentmindedly stroke her own mark from James' attack.

"I am 165 years old, the second oldest of us after Carlisle. Bella, I have a very different story from the rest of our family. My entrance into this life was very violent. I was created in the South and the South is not the peaceful place that the Northwest and other parts of the continent are.

"I was changed in 1863 at the age of 20 by a vampire named Maria. I was a Major in the Confederate Army at the time and she was the leader of a large and violent coven near San Antonio, Texas. She turned me to be a soldier in her army. You see, the covens in the south fight constantly for territory and they build armies of newborn vampires to help them gain control of new areas and to overthrow and destroy rival covens. I was a good fighter and had the ability after some time to influence the emotions of those around me. Maria was pleased with my progress and decided to keep me at the end of my newborn year when the others were destroyed. After the first year, the immense strength of a newborn vampire begins to wane, so she would destroy her army and start again. Her soldiers were nothing more than pawns to her. Like I said though, she was pleased with me and chose to keep me. She put me in charge of training and controlling her new army. When I did well, she rewarded me with extra opportunities to feed or other privileges.

"Eventually, as I gained more control over my gift, I became the leader of her army and her second in command. The gifts of a vampire become more defined and stronger with time, so after a few decades, I gained control over my ability and used it not only in battle but also to control the volatile newborn army. The scarring you see on my arms extends over most of my body. It is from battles, but also from confrontations with the others in the army. Newborns are very unpredictable and can't control their emotions very well for the first year or so. We lost many during that first year to their compatriots, rather than in battles.

"After a few dacades, I became disillusioned with the constant strife and violence. I knew no other life, though, so my depression grew. I had been with Maria for almost a century when my friend Peter and his mate Charlotte convinced me to leave with them. I had allowed Peter to take Charlotte away from the army instead of destroying her a few years earlier and it had displeased Maria immensely. They came back for me, and I will always be grateful, so, I left that life without a backwards glance. Eventually, I met Alice and a couple years later we joined the Cullens.

"I've never known anyone who chose to become a vampire, so I'm not sure how that will affect your change and newborn year, but I will do everything I can to make it as easy as possible for you. It will be hard at first to control your emotions and you may be angry and frustrated a lot. That's very normal as you will have to adjust to the thirst and your new senses. Vampires have much stronger senses and emotions than humans, which you already know.

"Do you have any other questions, Bella? You can ask me anything." I asked.

She was still absentmindedly stroking her scar and looking at mine, so I gave her a few moments to gather her thoughts. After a few more minutes, she spoke,

"Thank you for sharing your story with me, Jaz. I'm sorry that you've had so much pain in your life. You are a good man and deserved better than that lifestyle. Thank God you were able to escape it. I guess that pretty much answers my questions, but I need you to promise me something…" she paused, waiting for my acceptance.

I nodded and she continued,

"I don't want to kill any humans. Please help me not to do that, Jasper. I don't think I could live with myself if I hurt someone."

"Bella, I promise you that I will do everything I can to help you control your thirst. But, if there should ever be a time when I can't stop you or am not there to stop you, I promise that I will help you deal with it afterwards. Of all the Cullens, I understand the most the guilt that comes from losing control. You will always have me as a supporter, Bella." I said in response, willing her to feel my love and support as I wrapped her tightly in my arms.

She hugged me back and thanked me for the talk. Then, we stood and went back inside. I heard Emmett's thank you drift to me from upstairs, too low for Bella to hear, as she headed up to their room and I went to join Alice. I meant what I said, I would do everything I could to give my sister peace during her first year. I hoped she would never have to carry the guilt that I lived with…


	15. Fluffiness

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters.**

**I usually don't add an AN to my stories, but I just heard about The Indie Twific Awards. It is for up-and-coming writers, so is a great way of discovering new fics and new fic writers. The rules specify less than 1000 reviews for completed works and less than 30 reviews per chapter for works in progress and have not won any other awards. They are accepting nominations until Tuesday, June 23****rd****, so get those nominations in! There are all the standard categories, so make sure to check it out…Go to their website at: **_**www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com**_** or see my profile for a link.**

Fluffiness

**BPOV**

I felt so much more comfortable after talking to Jasper. The burn, while I wasn't looking forward to it, didn't scare me nearly as much as the first year. I had felt the burn when I had been bitten by James. I could handle it if I knew I would be with Emmett forever and be able to help Edward. I was, however, afraid of not still being Bella after I awoke. Jasper had helped me to realize that the first year would be tough, but I would still be me. His promise to be there for me and help me through the inevitable confusion made me feel much more secure. I knew the whole family would be there for me, Emmett especially, but somehow knowing that Jasper would be looking out for me in particular, with his history, soothed my remaining fears.

For the next month, I wanted to focus on my remaining time as a human. Christmas was just around the corner and New Year's would come in the blink of an eye after that. These thoughts ran through my head as I went upstairs to find Emmett.

I paused a moment taking in his perfectly masculine form as he lay sprawled on his bed watching a DVD. My breath caught in my chest and my heart sped up as I thought of having him by my side for eternity. I absentmindedly fidgeted with my engagement ring while lingering in the doorway of his bedroom.

"Babe, come lay with me," Emmett called softly, shifting over to make room for me.

I could never resist him, it was a physical and emotional need to touch him and be touched by him, so I crossed quickly and scooted into the comfortable safety of his arms.

"Everything OK? Jaz answered your questions?" he asked, as I got settled.

"Umhm," I responded, thinking about our conversation on the deck.

"You know you can ask me anything, too, right?" he asked softly.

"I know, honey, but some things are better asked of a brother than a lover. Emmett, are you OK with me being changed? I know what you said in the family meeting, but…" I trailed off, unsure of what I was asking him.

I knew he loved me; it was apparent in his every interaction with me. I could see it in his eyes when he looked at me, feel it when we made love. On some level I knew it was my insecurities coming out, but I couldn't help the feeling that maybe he loved the human parts of me so much that it would change his feelings when they were lost.

I felt his arms tighten slightly around me before he responded, his tone husky with the depth of his feeling,

"Bella, there is nothing that would make me happier than having you forever by my side. When I asked you to be my everything, I meant it. Please don't ever doubt my love for you!

"I love the way you blush and I love the warmth of your body pressed against mine, but those things pale in comparison to how I feel about _you_, the real you, baby. What I love most about you is the way you love selflessly, not just me, but our family, I love how you love me even though you know what I am, and I love how you make me feel like the most important person in the world.

"None of those things will change when your heart stops beating. I loved you yesterday, I love you more today, and I will love you even more tomorrow. Even in 1000 years, I will love you, Bella, but if you have even one moment of doubt about being changed, I will wait for you to be ready, even if it means waiting forever.

"I hope it doesn't mean that, because I love you too much to ever live without you. A human lifetime is just too short a time to have you, but I don't want you to ever regret the choice to be with me forever."

I hastily wiped the silent tears that had begin to fall during his declaration and reached up to gently brush his lips with mine, before I took a shuddering breath to respond.

"Emmett, I am so very sure of my decision, and I agree that a human lifetime is just too short a time to be with you. Please forgive me for asking, I don't doubt your love. I just needed to hear that. Thank you for letting me ask a silly question."

"We really hurt you, didn't we, sweetheart? I wish I could go back and make that decision again. I never should have let Edward do that to you," he murmured, tilting my face to kiss me again, "I will spend the rest of my existence making that up to you, Bella."

"Let it go, honey. I'm not that damaged girl anymore. I know you thought it was the right thing to do at the time and I don't blame any of you for following your brother, besides, it brought me to you" I whispered, my lips caressing the point where his jaw ended, just below his ear, "Just love me now. I need you, Emmett, always."

I relished his shiver as my warm breath whispered over his skin. I bit down lightly on his earlobe before covering his jaw and neck with gentle open mouthed kisses. His low sexy growl urged me on and I slipped my hands under his t-shirt to caress the hard planes of his stomach and chest as he leaned forward slightly to allow me to remove it.

I felt his large cool hands stroking the skin of my lower back under the hem of my thin cashmere sweater as he pulled me closer to his sculpted body. I groaned lightly as his lips claimed mine and his icy tongue began to dance with mine. Fire and ice collided sending shivers through my body. God, this man could do things to my body I had only dreamed of.

I pulled back slightly and raised my arms as he slowly lifted my sweater over my head and flung it across the room. His hands quickly unclipped my hair and fisted in my wavy tresses pulling me tighter against his urgent kiss. I was gasping for breath when he finally pulled back and began to run his tongue along my jaw and down my neck, lingering to suck gently at my pulse point before leaving soft open mouthed kisses along my shoulder.

His talented hands made quick work of my lacy bra and it soon joined my sweater on the other side of the room as he pushed me down beneath him into the divine softness of his king-sized bed. I moaned his name as his searching lips found my breast and began to tease my nipple.

"God…Emmett…ummm…" I sighed, giving myself over to the sensations he was awakening in me.

His answering purr drove me mad with desire and I could feel my panties rapidly dampening with my arousal.

He switched to my other breast, unbuttoning my jeans and sliding them down and off as I arched to help him. I franticly scrabbled at the waistband of his track pants, trying in vain to slide them down. He chuckled softly against my skin and finally took pity on me, removing them to reveal that he had gone commando underneath. I almost came on the spot as my searching hands brushed against his cock. I understood the meaning of the phrase, silk over steel, now.

"You are so very beautiful, Bella," he sighed, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of my panties and sliding them down and off.

I sighed his name as I sat up to take his mouth again and he lowered me down beneath him again, never breaking our contact.

He thrust inside me in a single hard motion, growling his pleasure at my warmth and wetness. I gasped at the intrusion and moaned my pleasure.

"Please…baby…so good…" I moaned, lifting my hips to meet his thrusts.

"Bella…shit...feels…amazing…"he groaned.

"Deeper," I demanded, bucking hard against him.

He abruptly shifted us so that I was in his lap as he sat back on his heels, never stopping his fierce thrusts.

His hands were gripping my hips and controlling our movements as I began to clench around him. I could tell from the tension in his muscles that he was as close as I was.

I leaned forward and bit his shoulder as my orgasm tore through my body. He howled my name and spilled inside me, both of us shuddering and clinging together as our peaks ebbed.

"Wow, Bella, that was fucking hot!" he sighed, drawing me down into his arms and pulling the covers over us.

I leaned forward and laid a gentle kiss over the spot I had just tried my damndest to sink my teeth into. Obviously, my teeth had been no match for his granite skin, so there was no mark, but he shivered at my gentle touch and purred softly, wrapping me tighter in his arms.

"Baby, you are going to be a fucking amazing vampire!" he declared, detangling himself to head to the bathroom. I heard the shower start a few moments later and stretched languidly, completely satisfied and pleasantly drowsy. There was nothing like a quick mid-afternoon post-coital nap!

He woke me with gentle kisses as few minutes later and I sighed softly. He could be very tender when he wanted to be. It was a side he seldom allowed anyone else to see, but I knew that under all his bluster was a gentle loving man.

"Baby, sorry to wake you, but Jaz, Tiernan, Carlisle, & I are going for a hunt, OK? We're going into Canada to hit some bigger game. Esme, Rose, & Ali are going to stay with you, so if you need anything just holler. I'll be back in the morning when you wake up," he whispered.

"OK, Em. Have fun and bag a grizzly for me. I'll be fine with Esme, Alice, & Rose. We need a nice girls' night anyway!" I replied, giving him a quick kiss before heading to our bathroom for a quick shower.

I yelped when he smacked my ass on his way out the door and smiled at his booming laughter as he headed downstairs.


	16. Best Laid Plans

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

**AN: Don't forget to get your nominations in for The Indie Twific Awards. The last day to nominate a story is **_**Tuesday, June 23**__**rd**_**. OK, ready for the shameless plug?? **_**By the way, both of my stories are eligible for nomination.**_** ;) They will cull the nomination list based on how many nominations a story receives. Nominated stories must meet the following requirements: less than 1000 reviews total for completed works, less than 30 reviews per chapter for works in progress, and they cannot have won any other awards. Go to **_**www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com**_**to nominate or visit my profile for the link. This is a great way to reward the lesser known fanfic authors and give them a chance to expose their work to a larger fan base. Thanks and I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming! There are a couple different POV's here, so bear with me, OK?**

The best laid plans…

**BPOV**

Thanksgiving break ended much too soon, but it was time to get back to reality. My human days were coming to an end and there were many things I wanted to resolve before the time came.

I was at peace with my decision. I knew who and what I wanted and nothing would deter me from the (un)life I was destined for. I was tired of fighting fate. From the moment I had met Edward Cullen, the die was cast. I only hoped my acceptance would benefit him. I had loved him beyond all reason at one point in my life and my only hope was that I could help him to find happiness again. He would now be my brother and nothing more, but I still wished for nothing but his happiness.

I had spent the night with Emmett, but I needed to go to class this morning and I had to hold TA office hours tonight. Emmett had class later today as well. He would, of course, beat me home, but we planned to spend the next few nights at my loft. I needed to start packing up things that were important to me. He would be there to help and be my pack mule!

It was just before dawn and still snowing as I climbed into my old Blazer and began the 30 minute drive back to town. I was trying not to drive too fast since it was almost whiteout conditions, but I had been an Alaskan for the last 4 years, so I was used to the snow.

I was rounding a curve about 15 minutes away from the Cullen home, when the moose lumbered out in front of my car. There was nothing I could do but plow into him. I heard the sickening shriek of metal on bone and felt the safety glass pepper my face as his massive antlers shattered the windshield. I was vaguely aware of the Blazer flipping before coming to rest upside down in a snow bank and the warm sticky blood dripping into my eyes. I tried to move, but soon found I was pinned into my seat by the twisted dashboard and the locked seatbelt. The last thing I heard before I blacked out was Alice crooning that she was there and the screech of metal being ripped apart.

**APOV**

No! No! No! No! No! This shit was not going to happen to her. I couldn't stop the accident, but I could sure as hell get to her in time to keep her from bleeding to death or freezing in the snow. I leaped out of bed, thoroughly shocking Jasper, and threw on clothes.

"What's going on Alice? What the hell did you see?" Jasper asked, grabbing and tugging on his own clothes that I had tossed to him.

"Bella – goddamned moose jumped in front of the fucking car. We've got to go. NOW!" I replied, hauling ass downstairs with Jasper on my heels.

"I'm coming, too. She's a Sullivan and we stick together." Tiernan growled, falling in with us at a run.

Rose already had the phone to her ear, calling Emmett, Carlisle, & Esme, who had gone for a hunt. She got Emmett's voicemail, and waved us out the door. She would wait for their return call and get them back to the house ASAP.

As we neared the scene of the accident we could smell blood, moose's and Bella's. The car was a complete mess of twisted metal resting on its roof in the snow bank. I knew from the vision that Bella was trapped inside by the dashboard and her seatbelt. I hadn't been able to see the extent of her injuries, but it had been bad.

I immediately wriggled through the shattered window to Bella. She was barely conscious, but she smiled a bit as I whispered in her ear. Tiernan was crouched at her side assessing her possible injuries.

He was in full paramedic mode as he began barking directions to me and Jasper at vampire speed and pitch,

"Alice, get her seatbelt unlatched and don't let her fall. I can't tell how bad her crush injuries are until I can see how she's pinned. Jasper, wait for my order and get the dash ripped away. I've got the driver's door."

I quickly shredded the locked seatbelt and cradled her in my arms. She was still dangling upside down. The moose had crushed the front of the dashboard down onto her legs, so until it was removed, she was stuck.

Tiernan was quickly running his hands along the dash and Bella's pinned body. As he did so, I was struck with another vision. Edward was in the woods and he could smell her blood.

"Tiernan, Jasper, we've got a big problem! Edward's gotten a whiff of her blood and he's coming. We have to get her out right now." I said urgently.

"OK, we've got to work fast. Alice, as soon as Jasper rips the dashboard off her, you've got to pull her out your side." Tiernan said.

I heard Jasper ripping the twisted metal and plastic away and felt the slight slackening of her body. The second she was free, Jasper yelled at me to take her. I pulled her into my arms and dragged her to the snow covered shoulder of the road.

Tiernan was immediately at my side checking her for injury. He waved me away and I joined Jasper, who was crouching defensively, scanning and scenting the woods. I lowered into my own crouch at his side. He growled and pushed me a touch behind him as Edward's scent drifted towards us.

"Tiernan, hurry up, man, he's almost here." Jasper growled.

"I can't move her. She's bleeding out and her pulse is all over the place. Her femoral artery was nicked and she's lost too much blood," he replied, tightening the tourniquet he had fashioned with his belt.

My mind snapped back to the ballet studio. It wasn't the first time that artery had been nicked.

"You have to do it, Tiernan. She's going to die. Your control is the best of all of us, except Carlisle. Do it now, before Edward gets to her. I can hear her heartbeat stuttering. We're out of time." I replied, urging him with my words.

I heard him whisper in her ear as he began his task.

"Bella, honey, I am so sorry that I have to do this to you right now. It will hurt, Bella, but we can't lose you. Emmett needs you; I need you, sister. Keep your heart beating, Bella. I know it's hard, but you have to fight now," he whispered.

I heard his teeth as they slid into her neck, her elbows, her wrists, the back of her knees, and her ankles. He was biting every vein he could easily get to and I knew that was because he was afraid her heart would stop before the venom could reach it. He finished by sinking his teeth into the other side of her neck and sealing all her wounds with his venom.

I fell back and laid my hand on his shoulder as he checked to make sure all the bites and lacerations were closed.

"It's done, Tiernan. She will be fine. You did a good job, brother." I whispered, as he scooped her into his arms.

She had not yet screamed, but Jasper was wincing in pain, so the venom was definitely affecting her. My brave Bella, she wouldn't scream, she didn't want to cause us any pain. I brushed her bloodied hair from her face gently.

"Let's go. We need to get her back to the house." I said, turning to see Jasper couched and growling.

I followed his gaze and saw Edward, also crouched, at the edge of the woods.

"Go, Alice, Tiernan. Get Bella home, I'll hold Edward off." Jasper growled, showing his deadly teeth.

My dear husband was in soldier mode. He would win this battle and bring Edward home to us.

"Block your thoughts, Jasper. He can't read you if you don't let him, show him what you want him to see only. This is not a battle to the death, Jasper." I said.

"Yes, Alice. Now get out of here. I can't fight and win if I'm worried about you and Bella," he growled, teeth clenched.

He turned his head just a fraction and I saw his soft loving eyes,

"Ali, I love you. Be safe and keep Bella safe," he whispered.

I turned, Tiernan was behind me. He quickly thrust Bella into my arms and kissed her forehead.

"I will help Jasper. I can fight, too, Alice. Now, run and don't look back," he said, crouching and baring his teeth at Edward, who had crept steadily closer to us, his red eyes narrowed menacingly.

I nodded and I ran. Bella began to moan as the motion jostled her battered and changing body. I talked softly to her and she began to quiet at the sound of my voice.

**EmPOV**

I was sitting with my back against a boulder, comfortably full and waiting for Carlisle and Esme to return, when I felt the vibration of my cell phone in my pocket. Idly, I wondered who would call now. The whole family knew we were hunting and wouldn't be available. The sun was just beginning to rise.

I saw that I had missed a call from Rosalie. That was strange. She never called me anymore. With trepidation, I hit send to listen to the message.

_Emmett, when you get this message, you need to come home. I can't explain now, but there's been an accident and you need to get home immediately. Don't waste time returning the call, just get Carlisle and Esme and get here!_

Oh God! Terrified, I screamed for Carlisle, knowing Esme would be with him. They came into the clearing at a run.

"We have to go home. There's been an emergency." I shouted, already turning to sprint towards the car.

Carlisle and Esme were right behind me as we jumped in the car and sped towards home.

**TPOV**

I knew that Jasper had been a soldier, both in his human life and in this one. However, I was unprepared for the utter viciousness of his stance and demeanor as we squared off towards Edward.

I was reciting poetry by Yeats in my head in Gaelic to keep Edward out and I wondered what Jasper was blocking him with. Really, it didn't matter if he was singing nursery rhymes, because all that mattered was keeping Edward from plucking our strategy right out of our heads.

Edward continued to advance. As he closed the distance, I began to edge around to flank him. His eyes were locked on Jasper's; obviously reading whatever Jasper was showing him mentally.

Suddenly, he shrieked and dropped to his knees clutching his head and writhing on the snow covered ground.

I rushed forward and pinned his arms behind him, pulling him up to stand. He was thrashing in my arms and snapping. I kept my face and neck as face away from his snapping jaws as I could. God, he was so fucking strong. His strength was born of insanity and human blood.

Jasper strode forward quickly and ripped open Edward's shirt. Edward stilled and slumped in my arms as Jasper touched his bare skin.

"Lay him down on the ground, Tiernan. I don't want to hurt you by contact." Jasper said.

I quickly complied, now aware that Jasper was forcing massive amounts of lethargy and calm on his brother with his gift. I was awed by the strength of his gift. I had never seen it used as a weapon before and was glad for a moment that Jasper had never had cause to use it against me. He was such a pacifist by nature that it was hard to imagine him fighting in any war, but in that moment, I saw him clearly. He hated violence, but was well prepared to withstand or inflict it if it was needed to protect his family.

As Jasper leaned over to pick Edward up, Edward broke through the emotional bounds and snapped hard at Jasper, catching his shoulder. Jasper growled menacingly and I could almost see the waves of pain that he forced onto Edward. Edward slumped to the ground again whimpering and writhing in pain. He quieted as Jasper again leaned over to pick him up. The attempt was successful this time and we began the walk home. We walked at human pace so that Jasper could focus fully on keeping Edward sedated.

I wondered how we would keep him under control once we arrived home.

**AN: If you'd like to see a picture of what a moose can do to a car in an accident, check out my profile. Also, I've posted a picture of Bella's ring.**


	17. Burn, Baby, Burn

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twilight universe.**

Burn, baby, burn…

**EmPOV**

I couldn't get back to the house fast enough. At one point I wondered whether I could run faster than Carlisle was driving. When my arm twitched towards the door handle, he noticed and spoke softly,

"Emmett, I know you are worried about what has happened. I am, too, but there is no way to get back home faster than this car right now. Hang on, son, we're almost there."

I nodded and tried to stay calm. If Edward had somehow hurt Bella again, I would rip him to pieces. I decided that I had to have some more information. Quickly, I pulled out my phone and began to text Rosalie. She responded immediately and proceeded to explain Alice's vision. I was relieved that Alice, Jasper, and Tiernan had gone to help her, but was actually feeling physically ill at the possibility that they had not gotten there soon enough. Rose hadn't heard from them since they had left, so she could give me no further information.

Ten minutes after I read her final response, we turned onto the familiar driveway towards our home. Carlisle had barely stopped the car, before I had launched myself out and into the house.

As soon as I opened the door, I smelled her blood. Rosalie was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Where is she? Is she OK?" I frantically asked.

Rose's face was grave as she replied, "Emmett, she's in your room with Alice. She was hurt too badly to survive; Tiernan had to change her."

"Where are Jasper and Tiernan?" I asked, wondering why only Alice was with her. Shouldn't Jasper have been trying to ease her pain?

"Why isn't she screaming, Rose? Carlisle, why isn't she screaming?" I asked, a touch of hysteria evident in my voice.

"Emmett, Rosalie, let me upstairs. I need to check on her." Carlisle replied calmly, trying to defuse the charged atmosphere.

Rose stepped aside, but I wasn't going to stay here. Bella needed me.

"I'm going, too, Carlisle." I said.

He obviously didn't want to waste any time, so he just nodded and ran up with me on his heels.

Alice was lying on the bed with Bella, doing what she could to soothe her as she writhed silently. I sighed in relief. She obviously was feeling the burn of the venom, but in typical Bella fashion was refusing to scream and cause us any discomfort. My brave and stubborn girl!

Alice moved away from her as we entered the room so that Carlisle could check on her. He looked over each bite that Tiernan had inflicted as well as the lacerations and large wound on her thigh below the tourniquet fashioned from a belt.

It was agony when she began to quietly whimper once the cooling comfort of Alice's body was removed. I needed to hold her and let her know I was here. After a moment more, Carlisle finished his examination and motioned me to her. I settled down flush against her, gently wrapping her in my arms. She quieted almost immediately as I began to whisper in her ear,

"It's OK, sweetheart. I've got you. Just a little longer and you'll be done. I know it hurts, baby. You don't have to be quiet because of us. We understand. Scream if you need to, Bella. I love you, babe."

She began to whimper softly in my arms, but never screamed. I became aware of Alice and Carlisle huddled together, deep in conversation.

"What's going on, Alice? Where are Tiernan and Jasper?" I asked.

Alice sighed softly, "Emmett, Edward smelled her blood and I had to run Bella home to keep him away from her. Tiernan and Jasper stayed to keep him occupied. I saw the fight in a vision. They're fine. Jasper is sedating Edward with his power and they are on their way home now. They'll arrive in about 15 more minutes."

She turned her attention back to Carlisle, "Carlisle, what are we going to do with Edward? Jasper can only keep him under for a finite amount of time…"

Carlisle was pacing near the doorway, apparently lost in thought during our discussion, but at Alice's question, he stopped.

"Well, Tiernan has done an excellent job with initiating Bella's change, so there is really nothing for me to do at this point but wait for her to wake. I think I can keep Edward calm and under control once Jasper's effects have worn off. Tiernan can handle checking in on Bella's progress and Jasper can split his time between Bella and Edward. Emmett, I know you need to be here with Bella. Alice, you, Rose, & Esme should not be alone with Edward either, he's too unpredictable right now. I think between myself and Jasper keeping him calm, we should be fine. Alice, do you know when they will arrive with him?" he inquired, finished with his musings.

"They're almost here, Carlisle. We have about 10 minutes at the most before they arrive with him," she replied.

He nodded in response and turned to leave, "I'm going downstairs to fill in Esme and Rosalie. When they get here, I'll send Jasper upstairs to ease Bella's pain."

Alice made her way to the bed and sat down, softly stroking Bella's forehead and cheeks. She looked really worried and on Alice's face that was a definite cause for alarm.

"Alice, what's wrong? What have you seen?" I demanded.

"I'm not sure how much I should tell you, Emmett. It'll just cause you pain right now. I can tell you this; Bella will be fine and will wake very quickly because of the amount of venom that Tiernan introduced into her body. I see her waking in just 15 more hours. She'll love you the moment she wakes, Emmett. Don't doubt her love. The first several months will be very hard for us all, especially her." Alice replied, speaking softly and sadly, before leaving to join the rest of the family downstairs.

I shuddered as I wondered what Alice had seen that would sadden her so much. I tried to comfort myself with the knowledge that Bella would still be mine when she woke. I couldn't stand to lose her; she was the other half of my soul.

**TPOV**

We were almost back to the house now. Jasper had gradually picked up his pace and we were loping down the driveway when Alice ran to meet us. She turned to match our pace and continued towards the house with us.

"Alice, how is Bella? Is the transformation progressing smoothly?" I asked.

I was nervous. I had never initiated the change before, though I knew how to do it. I needed to know that Bella would be OK.

"Yes, she's doing very well. She's still not screaming, but Carlisle checked on her and said you had done an excellent job, Tiernan. He's proud of you. In fact, you got enough venom in her to speed up the change. She'll be awake in 15 more hours." Alice replied.

Jasper was silent; his concentration was focused on keeping Edward unconscious. It was quickly depleting his energy. His rapidly darkening eyes showed he would need to hunt soon.

We reached the home and Carlisle was on the front porch waiting for us. He reached out for Edward.

"Jasper, hit him with the strongest wave of lethargy you can, then go hunt. You'll need your strength for the coming hours and days. I can handle Edward for now," he commanded, before continuing to me,

"Tiernan, you did a very fine job with Bella. She will change very quickly. I'm proud of you; I know it was probably difficult. Will you keep watch over Bella for the remainder of her change? I will be needed to control Edward."

I nodded and replied, "Of course, Carlisle. Anything I can do for Bella, I will."

Jasper handed Edward over and he and Alice joined hands to run into the nearby woods. They would hunt and then return to the house soon.

I climbed the stairs to Emmett's room and knocked lightly on the door. I hoped he would be OK with my actions today. As Bella's mate, it should have been him that changed her. I was worried that once again he would feel that I had stolen his mate.

I opened the door at his whispered "Come in". Standing in the doorway, I evaluated the situation. Emmett was lying on the bed wrapped around Bella. His massive frame all but obliterated her petite one. She was whimpering softly, but seemed otherwise calm. The lack of screaming was disconcerting as I thought about the strength it must have been taking for her to hold the pain inside like she was. Bella was an extraordinary human and would also be an extraordinary vampire.

"Emmett, I'm…" I began before he cut me off.

"Tiernan, thank you. I will be in your debt forever for saving her life, brother," he said simply.

I quickly strode forward and clasped his offered hand tightly. I knew from this point on, that we would be brothers. Forgiveness had finally been fully granted and accepted.

"How is she?" I asked softly.

"Alice says she will wake up very soon and Carlisle said you did an excellent job injecting the venom. She's stubborn though and refuses to scream," he replied.

As he finished speaking, she cried out, softer than a scream but louder than the whimpering of earlier. I quietly left the room as he leaned back over her and whispered in her ear, comforting her with his voice and his touch once more.

**CPOV**

I sat in the chair next to the bed that my son lay upon. He looked peaceful, but I knew that was simply the lingering effects of his brother's gift. Oh, Edward, please come back to us, son.

He was deeply unconscious, so as I kept watch over him, I allowed my mind to wander over our century of time together.

_We were living in Chicago again. 30 years had passed since I had given him the "gift" of immortality. Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett were now with us as well. Edward was assisting me with my private practice. He had only returned from his "rebellious years" the year prior and I was incredibly proud of him for slipping right back into our lifestyle. Human blood seemed to have no call for him at all. Hearing my thoughts, he smiled that same crooked smile at me._

"_Dad, it certainly does have a call for me, but I am strong enough to resist. I want to make you proud of me. It's the least I can do after everything I put you and Esme through," he replied softly._

_I smiled and nodded. I understood what he meant, but was proud nonetheless at his accomplishments._

His subtle movement on the bed pulled me from the memory, so I glanced at him. He was looking at me as well, deep sadness and shame in his maroon eyes.

"I've made a mess of things again, Carlisle. Are you proud of me still, _**Dad**_?" he scoffed bitterly; obviously he had been reliving the memory with me.

"Edward, you are a good man and you are my son. I will always love you. Fight this bitterness inside you! Come back to us. You made choices that damaged you and you hurt Bella, but, son, you can mend your relationship with her if you will but try." I replied, trying to make my wayward son understand.

"But, she will never be mine again, will she? How can I live without her? How can I spend every day near her but so far away?" he responded brokenly.

"No, she will never love you in that way again. You broke that love when you abandoned her. Your good intentions did not lessen the blow and she lost everything because of it. Even still, she loves you as a brother. You were her first love, Edward, and a woman will never forget that." Esme replied from the doorway.

He sobbed brokenly as her words washed over him. All we could do for him now was hold him. He was and is our son. We will always love him and try to help him.

Jasper appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. My most gentle son stepped into the room and touched his brother's shoulder.

"Edward, I'm sorry for everything that has happened to you and between us. Please let me ease your pain and help you get through this," he said softly.

Edward just nodded, still wrapped in Esme's arms. I felt the atmosphere in the room shift to one of peace. My still heart was moved at the sight of my newest and most tragic son grimacing as he absorbed the pain of his brother. Of all my family members, Jasper had faced the most horror and atrocity in his existence. I was very proud of the man he was. He had overcome a tremendous amount of bloodlust and violence to be the compassionate and loyal man that stood before me.

Feeling my pride and love for him, he turned and briefly laid his hand on my shoulder, sharing his love for me as I had to him. With a gentle squeeze of my shoulder, he drifted out of the room, presumably to check on his newest sister.


	18. Like A Sieve

**DISCLAIMER: Yeah – don't own it. Hope you like it anyway…**

Like a Sieve

**EmPOV**

It would be soon now. Her skin was pale to the point of translucence and she was no longer hot in my arms, but still felt perfect. She had stubbornly refused to scream for the last 14 hours, but had whimpered and occasionally cried out. She had been completely silent for the last 2 hours.

I was pulled from my thoughts by Alice's soft touch on my shoulder.

"Emmett, it will be soon now. Let me change her clothing. She'll feel better when she wakes if she's in clean clothes. I'll come get you the moment I'm finished," she said softly.

I nodded and slipped from the room. Jasper was sitting in the hallway facing our room as I exited. He looked like hell. If a vampire could be exhausted, he fit that description. I held out a hand for him and he stared blankly at it for a moment before grasping it and letting me haul him up.

"Jaz, man, you look like shit! Want to go outside on the deck and have a smoke?" I asked.

"Bite me, Em; and, yeah, that sounds good," he replied wearily.

We walked out to the deck to see Tiernan already there; his feet propped on the railing. He gave us a quick nod as we took the chairs on either side of him and mimicked his posture. He tossed the Marlboros to me and I tossed them to Jasper when I was done.

"Soon now?" he asked, as we all got settled.

"Yeah, Alice says within the hour." I replied.

Jasper said nothing; he just sat slumped in the chair with his eyes closed, smoking. He didn't look good. He'd been absorbing Bella's physical pain for the last 12 hours and Edward's emotional pain for about that long. He was spread pretty thin between the two of them.

I really wanted to ask him what Alice had seen about Bella's transformation that had her so concerned. He'd know; Alice told him everything, but I couldn't do it. He was worn out and he needed to chill.

I really wanted to be beside my Bella; like a magnet pulling me to her, but for whatever reason, I knew that Alice needed this time with her right now. I was content for right now to sit and enjoy my brothers' company. I'd be with her again soon enough.

**APOV**

I had learned over the last few months that Bella wasn't a Barbie doll anymore. Keeping that in mind, I had dressed her in yoga pants and a t-shirt. She would have enough on her mind when she woke up. She didn't need to feel disoriented by her wardrobe, too.

I talked softly to her as I ran the brush through her mahogany waves. Her hair was a little longer now and had much more defined red highlights. She had been lovely as a human, but she was a ravishing vampire.

I had tried everything I could think of to combat the images in my vision, but nothing I had tried would change it. Right now, all I could hold onto was the surety that in a few months, it would resolve itself. I had shared the vision with no one, not even my sweet Jasper. He could tell I was sad and concerned, but when he had asked, I had told him that this was one of the times that the future was my burden alone to bear. He had been my partner for long enough to know that I would tell him what I could, when I could.

I heard Bella's heart begin to race, so I called out softly that it was almost over.

**EPOV**

Esme and Carlisle had not left my side since I had broken down 12 hours ago. The darkness hadn't taken over again, but I was afraid it would if they left me alone. I was afraid of being alone again. It was bad when I was alone.

Esme was holding my head in her lap and stroking my hair softly. None of us were speaking; we had no need to speak, our feelings were known. I was content wrapped in their happy memories of our early days together.

Esme had just finished replaying for me our first baseball game after Jasper and Alice arrived. I smiled at the vision of Emmett's irritation as Jasper struck him out. Jasper had never played baseball before that day and it thoroughly irritated Emmett that he was a natural. The vision abruptly ended as we heard Bella's tortured heartbeat speed up to a frantic pace.

She would be a vampire soon, no longer the human woman I had loved. I reminded myself that she was no longer mine either way. Emmett had claimed her as his mate and she had given herself wholeheartedly to him.

My throat was burning fiercely, but I would not hunt until later. My family did not trust me to stay in control. Truth be told, I didn't trust myself.

The tentative peace and acceptance Esme, Carlisle, and Jasper had helped me to achieve wasn't ready for the test of seeing Bella again or encountering human blood while hunting. I was afraid the slightest provocation would reawaken the dark beast inside.

I heard Carlisle & Esme's indecision through their thoughts. I knew they loved Bella as a daughter. They should be there with her when she awoke.

"Carlisle, Esme, please go to Bella. She will need you when she wakes up."I rasped, my voice hoarse from disuse.

"Edward, come with us. She will want to see you, too." Esme replied, trying to convince herself as much as me.

"No, Esme. I'm not ready yet. The darkness is still too close to the surface. It would be too easy for it to break free again. I will see her eventually, but not yet. I've caused enough pain." I replied huskily.

She cupped my cheek softly in her hand before rising. Carlisle laid his hand on my head gently before taking Esme's hand and heading upstairs.

I curled into a tight ball on the bed and prayed that the darkness would stay away until they returned. I saw with relief that Carlisle had left my IPod and ear buds on the bed within easy reach. I keyed up my favorite playlist and tried to drown the darkness with music; it helped a little.

**EmPOV**

I heard Alice call out that it was almost over. I was in the house and up the stairs with Jasper and Tiernan right behind me before the sentence had even been finished. I tried to stay calm as I heard the frantic pace of her heart. She was convulsing on the bed and keening in pain. It was the most pain she had shown since the burn had begun.

Alice was gently holding her to the bed as she continued to seize and thrash. I made my way to the bed, intending to hold her again, but Alice gave a minute shake of her head and Jasper gently pulled me back.

I didn't understand. I _needed_ to comfort her. I knew the pain she was in and I felt it to my very core. I struggled against Jasper's restraining hand and Tiernan firmly grabbed my other arm.

Carlisle and Esme stepped through the doorway with Rosalie behind them.

"Emmett, be calm son. You need to wait and give her time to become aware again. Alice, please come here now. It is almost over," he said.

Jasper and Tiernan released my arms at the exact moment that her heart made its final torturous thump. Jasper pulled Alice slightly behind him and Tiernan and Carlisle did the same with their mates.

We held our collective breath as she stirred on the bed and opened her ruby red eyes.

**BPOV**

Thank God the fire had stopped. I lay still for a few moments, trying to decide if it was safe to open my eyes or move. I was afraid even the smallest movement would bring the fire back.

I finally decided that just moving my eyelids couldn't hurt anything, so I cautiously opened them. An involuntary gasp slipped from my lips. I could see everything; motes of dust, light in every shade of the spectrum.

I gradually became aware that I was lying on a bed and I was not alone. What the hell was going on?

I leaped from the bed and crouched defensively. Whoever these people were, there were a lot of them. They were not moving, but were observing me cautiously.

There was a blond male who had a kind open face. He looked a bit older that the others. He didn't look in the least threatening, but exuded an air of leadership. He must be the leader of this group. Slightly behind him was a pretty woman with caramel hair and an open warm smile. I immediately felt comfortable as my eyes met hers. I felt an almost instant peace with her.

Another male and female stood next to them. The male smiled softly at me. He was handsome, with black hair and a lithe build. The female next to him was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He blond hair hung in thick cascading waves to her waist. When my eyes met hers, she offered a tentative smile. I quickly moved my gaze to the next couple.

He was very tall and covered with scars. This was a vampire not to be crossed. As my gaze traveled over his battle scarred body, I felt a soft hiss escape my lips. When my gaze met his eyes, though, there was so much love and kindness shining there that I instantly felt calmer. He smiled softly at me and winked. I instantly felt safe in his presence. His mate was his physical opposite. She was thin and tiny in the extreme. For some reason, my confused brain though of Vidia from Tinkerbell. Her spiky black hair was artfully messy around her heart shaped face. She was practically vibrating with excitement behind the contradictory blond male. I wondered why she was so excited, before moving my gaze to the final person in the room with me.

He stood alone, with no mate. He was very tall, taller than the other males. He was very muscular and exuded an innate masculinity that made my breath catch in my throat. As my eyes raked up his handsome body, I took in his curly black hair and depthless ocher eyes.

I gasped at the love shining in his eyes. I relaxed my defensive posture and, as if pulled by a magnet, took a tiny step toward him. I stopped, unsure and nervous. My entire body was trembling with need for this male. I would not survive without him. I took another tentative step toward him. He held his hands in front of him in a submissive non-threatening gesture. One more step and I would be toe-to-toe with him. I was trembling badly now and my eyes were locked with his.

He took a step towards me, closing the remaining distance between us, and wrapped me in his arms. I tensed and panicked, but stilled as his deep smooth bass voice filled my ear.

"It's OK, baby, you're safe," he crooned.

I melted into his arms. Gradually, my trembling stopped. I could feel his lips pressed to my hair and his large hands rubbing my back gently.

No one else had yet spoken to me. The silence seemed loud to my sensitive ears.

The tiny pixie-like female stepped out around her mate and addressed us all very calmly.

"Hello, Bella. I am Alice and that is Emmett holding you. Are you OK?"

"It's very nice to meet you, Alice." I looked up into the male's, Emmett's, eyes, and continued, "Emmett, thank you. I feel very safe right now."

"Could you please tell me what has happened? I'm very confused. I don't know where I am or who any of you are…" I asked softly.

The one called Emmett tightened his arms around me slightly.

"Alice, what is wrong with her? Why doesn't she remember us?" he asked, his voice heavy and rough with anguish.

"I'm sorry, Emmett. I don't know why, but she has no memory of anything before waking." Alice replied softly.

"Please someone tell me what's going on!" I begged; panic beginning to weave its way through my chest.

"Bella, calm down, darlin'. You're safe with us. We would never hurt you," the scarred blond male said softly, but firmly, "I'm Jasper, Alice's mate and Emmett's brother."

I felt the panic begin to recede as I met his honey colored eyes. I sighed in relief as I began to regain some control.

That introduction must have been a signal to them all, because the blond leader spoke next.

"Hello, Bella. I am Carlisle. I am the father figure of this family. Jasper, Alice, and Emmett are like my children."

They continued the introductions down the line from there. The sweet brunette was Carlisle's mate, Esme. She acted as a mother figure for the group. The black haired male was Tiernan and his beautiful mate, Rosalie.

I was feeling overwhelmed again and the trembling was back. Emmett noticed and whispered softly in my ear,

"Bella, honey, would you like to sit down with me for a moment while we explain things?"

I nodded gratefully and took his hand, gasping at the jolt of electricity that rushed through my fingers at the contact. His sharp intake of breath told me he felt it, too. He sat on the bed and patted the spot next to him. I sank down next to him; edging as close as I could. Emmett noticed and draped his arm around me. I sighed at the contact. I might not know what the hell was going on here, but I knew that I was safe with Emmett and for some reason, I knew I loved him.

Carlisle cleared his throat and began the story of who I was and what had happened. As he finished his story, I could feel the panic rising in my chest again. Jasper called my name softly and again, I felt the panic recede as I looked into his kind eyes.

So, I was a vampire, this was my family, I was sitting on the bed with my fiancée, and I didn't remember a damn bit of it.


	19. Calm Harbor in the Midst of the Storm

**DISCLAIMER: S.M. owns it all. I own nothing…OK, Tiernan is all mine, but other than that…zilch!**

Calm Harbor in the Midst of the Storm

**BPOV**

I was sitting in stunned silence. I guess I should have had some kind of response to what I had just been told, but honestly, I had nothing. The damn burning in my throat was really starting to piss me off.

They were all just looking at me. I could tell that they loved me. It was evident in their worried eyes. I felt safe with them and I definitely didn't want to be anywhere but in Emmett's arms. I sighed softly; at least my body seemed to remember my fiancée, even though my mind had no clue.

At the sound of my sigh, Emmett tightened his arms slightly around me and whispered in my ear,

"Bella, baby, are you OK?"

His breath sent shivers down my spine, so I snuggled a little closer in his lap as I shrugged my shoulders slightly. The burning in my throat was really starting to make coherent thought difficult. I absentmindedly reached up to stroke it. He noticed the movement and gently lifted us to our feet.

"Come on, baby. You're thirsty. That's what the burning in your throat is telling you. It'll feel better after we've hunted," he said gently, still holding me against his side protectively.

I nodded and swallowed thickly. I wondered briefly what he meant by hunting. Carlisle had explained that they hunted animals for blood and that their family had decided long ago not to hunt humans. I couldn't imagine killing people to survive, so I had felt relieved when he told me they hunted that way.

He led me to the door and the others followed us outside. I noticed that Jasper was right on our heels. He was the one that could feel and control the emotions of those around him. Carlisle had called him an empath and said that he had a lot of experience with newborn vampires. He must have felt my curiosity about his motives and nervousness about hunting, because he came up beside me and softly explained,

"Bella, I know you don't remember our friendship right now, but I made you a promise that I would help you this first year. You asked me not to let you hurt any humans. That is why I am staying close to you right now, little sister. Hunting is instinctual, you'll be fine."

"I wish I could remember that, Jasper. I can feel that we had a bond. It's frustrating because I can feel that I loved you all. My heart remembers even though my mind doesn't." I replied dejectedly.

Suddenly, I felt a warm safe feeling blanket me. It felt like love, protectiveness, and peace all rolled into one. I could feel my tension and apprehension draining away.

"Do you feel that, Bella? That is how I feel about you. Relax, sugar. Your memory will return in time. Alice has seen that. Try not to be frustrated, you are safe and loved here with us." Jasper replied, stroking my hair gently before falling back a bit to walk with Alice.

We had arrived at the tree line now. I tensed a bit, once again unsure of what I should do.

"Emmett, what do I do? I don't know how to hunt." I mumbled, embarrassed to admit my ignorance.

"It's easy, baby. Give yourself over to your senses. What do you smell?" he asked.

I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the woods around me.

"I smell curing tobacco and warm leather. It smells wonderful, one of the best things I've ever smelled. I think that might be you, Emmett." I said shyly, glancing up at him.

He smiled, his eyes full of love, and nodded at me.

"What else do you smell, honey?" he asked gently.

"Umm, I smell the trees and the earth. There's something else, too, but I can't quite describe it. It smells wild and delicious. It's making my mouth water." I replied, swallowing hard as venom pooled in my mouth.

"Where is that smell, Bella?" he coached.

"About 100 yards to the west, near the stream." I replied, turning that way and taking a hesitant step toward the delicious odor.

"Yes, Bella. That is a cougar you smell. Now, don't fight your instincts. Go get it, honey," he replied, giving me a soft nudge toward my meal.

I glanced once over my shoulder, he smiled softly in encouragement, and I took off. I followed the odor until I could hear the stream babbling softly.

My instincts kicked in and I crouched down low as the cougar came into view. It was a large male and I could hear the blood rushing through his veins. He growled a warning at me and I returned it with one of my own.

His tail twitched nervously, but he did not run away. I leaped at him and sank my teeth into his neck before he had the chance to swipe at me.

It was impossible to describe how delicious his blood was as it slid in great pulsing gulps down my parched and burning throat. As his heart slowed, I released him and thanked him for his sacrifice, watching as his eyes lost focus and his heart thumped one final time. I laid him gently on the forest floor. His body would nourish the forest's scavengers tonight.

Behind me, the odor of heather and rain wafted towards me. I crouched defensively and growled a warning as I whirled to face the intruder.

I relaxed immediately as the one called Tiernan stepped from the trees. He raised his hands in front of him, but I wasn't afraid of him. He was my sire. He would not hurt me.

Emmett and the rest of my family emerged behind him. They looked proud of me. It felt good to know that they were not disappointed in my first hunt.

I ran to Emmett and he pulled me into a comforting embrace. I didn't want to be separated again from him. I reached up to stroke his face gently and he purred at the contact. His eyes were still sad. He missed me, the me that was here was well loved by him, but he missed the me that remembered him, too.

"I'm sorry you're sad, Emmett. I wish I remembered you, too. I do love you, though, even if I can't remember why." I said softly, my hands still cupping his cheeks, "Is it enough for now?"

He nodded, nuzzling against my palms.

"Are you still thirsty, honey, or are you ready to go home?" he asked, his voice husky with emotion.

"I'm fine now. Let's go home, Emmett." I replied quietly, my still heart breaking for his pain.

I just had to hold onto the fact that Alice had seen me remembering things eventually. I could only hope it would happen sooner rather than later.

I could hear the happiness of the rest of the family, how I wish I could call them my family, as they played in the forest around us.

I could hear Alice's tinkling laughter and saw a Jasper-shaped blur as they raced by, Alice perched on his shoulders; a similarly arranged Rosalie and Tiernan in hot pursuit.

"Emmett, let's show them how it's really done!" I said with a smirk.

I was rewarded with his beautiful dimpled smile as he tossed me onto his shoulders and we took off. We didn't quite make it there first, but the pain had left his eyes and we had a new memory that both of us could hold onto.

I wanted a shower badly, so when we went inside, I headed towards the stairs, but hesitated as I realized that the other me had obviously been sharing a room with Emmett. Would he still want me there or would it be too weird for him?

I smelled his beautiful scent behind me the moment before he laid his huge hand on my shoulder.

"Bella, it is still our room. I'll give you some space if you need it. There's no rush," he whispered softly.

"And if I don't want space? Will you stay with me? I'm scared to be alone right now, Emmett." I whispered back, feeling ashamed of my neediness even as the words left my mouth.

He turned me gently on the step to face him. His intense ocher eyes burned into my ruby ones.

"Bella, I will never leave you. If you need me to stay with you, nothing in the world would make me happier," he replied, his voice fierce as he tried to make me understand, "Now, come on, let's get you showered and then we can watch a couple movies together."

"Thank you, Emmett."I whispered, not sure exactly what I was thanking him for, but meaning every bit of the sentiment.

I opened the door and stepped over to the dresser, I pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. As I touched the boxers, which were obviously some I had stolen from Emmett, I froze with my fingers on the hem as a vivid memory rushed over me.

_I was standing in this same room. No one was with me, but I was getting ready to shower. Somehow I knew that I was waiting for Emmett to get home. He had gone hunting and would be home soon. I pulled a t-shirt and the boxers from the drawer and headed towards the bathroom. _

_I had just stepped into the warm relaxing spray, when a pair of strong cold arms encircled my warm wet body from behind. I could smell him now, curing tobacco and warm leather. The odor softer and not as sharp to my human nose, but still delicious and welcome._

_I shivered in anticipation as his lips began to caress my neck and shoulders. I could feel him hard and ready against my back. I whimpered his name and he turned me to face him, his lips crashing down onto mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he lifted me in his arms and thrust into me. I could feel my orgasm approaching and as I cried out his name in release, I felt him spasm inside me._

I came back to my senses with a very nervous Emmett hovering over me as I sat on the floor in front of the dresser, the boxers clutched in a death grip between my fingers.

"Bella, what happened? Are you OK? Should I get Carlisle or Tiernan?" he asked, his nerves showing in the frantic nature of his questions.

"Emmett, I'm fine. Better than fine actually. I remembered something. I saw us making love in the shower. You had gone hunting and surprised me in the shower by coming home early. It was beautiful, Emmett." I said, smiling up at him, "I remember something about _us_, baby."

He sank to his knees next to me and buried his head in my chest. I stroked his back as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.

"Thank God," he murmured over and over.

When he quieted some time later, we crawled onto the bed together and watched DVDs the rest of the night, content to simply cuddle and comfort each other.

It was very early in the morning when he shifted our positions so that we were facing each other on the bed. I found myself lost in his beautiful ocher eyes.

"Bella, can I kiss you?" he asked softly, stroking my cheek gently with the back of his hand.

"Yes, please," I replied in an equally soft tone, sighing as his lips claimed mine. This was a tender kiss, full of the love he felt and the promise of nights soon to come.

In that moment, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was my destiny, my soul mate, and my true love. There would never be another for me. Even if I never remembered another single moment of my previous time with him, I was his and he was mine.


	20. Edward Who?

**DISCLAIMER: S.M. owns Twilight and all its characters. I'm just playing with them…Oh, and JaspersBella, see if you can find where I stole something from one of your reviews…as always thanks for your constant support!**

Edward who?

**BPOV**

I really didn't want to leave the comfort of Emmett's arms and our nice safe room, but the burn was starting to become uncomfortable again in the back of my throat. I had been ignoring it for a couple of hours, when Emmett finally had enough of my near constant swallowing. I thought I had been covering it well, but obviously he had not been fooled.

Grumbling, I got out of bed and quickly threw on some hunt suitable clothing. Emmett took my hand and together we ran to the forest again.

I was more comfortable this time and found that I didn't really like the flavor of deer, but they would do in a pinch. Once the fire was extinguished, we walked through the forest to a small meadow and decided to spend some time together there. There was a rocky outcropping with nice flat stones on top, so we brushed off the snow and laid there, quiet together.

"Emmett?" I asked, tentatively.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled in reply, very comfortable basking in the unusually bright winter sunlight.

"Tell me what I was like before." I said.

"Bells, I don't know if I should do that. Carlisle and Alice both said it would be better for you to remember things on your own," he replied, brow furrowed.

He obviously didn't want to deny me anything, but also couldn't do anything that might hurt me. He was conflicted. He really wanted me to remember, but he really wanted me to be safe and healthy, too.

"I know, and that's not really what I meant. I want you to tell me what I was like; who I was inside. Was I a kind person? Smart? Funny? Shy or outgoing? I think I would feel better if I at least knew that much…"I trailed off, hoping he would understand the difference.

I could wait to recall the specific memories, but it was scary to not know who I was personality-wise.

He reached over to hold my hand as he took an unnecessary breath.

"When I first met you, you were much younger, so some things about your personality had changed by the time we fell in love. You were still in high school then and you were about the clumsiest human I had ever seen. You could trip walking over a flat surface! It's probably a lot of the reason you were so shy. I used to tease you mercilessly about it.

"When I would tease you, you would blush the most amazing shade of red. It was like every drop of blood in your body would rush straight to your cheeks. If I'm being honest, that was why I liked to tease you so much; it was something that I had never seen another human do so strongly.

"By the time we met again, you had outgrown the clumsiness and lost some of the shyness, too. You were still reserved, or at least you seemed to be to me. Of course, I'm loud and obnoxious most of the time, so I might not have seen that clearly.

"You have always been an extremely loving and compassionate person. You have forgiven some things in your life, Bella, that I cannot imagine forgiving. You are also very perceptive and sensitive to others needs. I guess that would be a nurturing personality. You always looked out for each of us and would sacrifice your needs and desires for those you loved.

"If I had to pick the person in the family that you were the most alike in personality, I would say Jasper. You both have the same outlook on life. You're incredibly loyal to family, compassionate to the pain and suffering of others, have a wicked sense of humor and sarcasm, and love the family fiercely. It always made you both sad that when the family first met you that you never got the opportunity to really get to know each other. You made up for lost time when we found you the second time."

He paused for a moment and I could tell he was debating on how much more to say. After a moment he seemed to make a decision and began again.

"You are the bravest person I have ever met. You accepted us wholeheartedly from the moment you met us. It never even crossed your mind to fear us or think we were evil soulless monsters. Even some of us don't believe we are truly good. You chose to become a vampire years ago. You knew what you would be giving up, you knew the pain you would endure during the change, and you knew that immortality had a price, but you never wavered. I have never met another being, human or vampire, that is braver than you are," he squeezed my hand again as he finished speaking.

"Thank you," I whispered, unable to truly articulate the depth of my gratitude for what he had shared with me.

We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Bella, you know that we had to stage your death and how you would have died had Tiernan not bitten you and started the change, right?" he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye to see my answering nod.

"So, have you thought about what you want on your tombstone? Carlisle will be ordering it tomorrow," he continued.

I hadn't thought about it at all, so I simply shook my head.

"Well, I have an idea you might be able to use…_Here lies Bella Swan, hit a moose and now she's gone. R.I.P._" he sort of managed to say it with a straight face.

I couldn't help it, I laughed until tears would have been streaming down my face, had I been human still, of course. His booming laughter joined mine and the heaviness of the previous conversation was forgotten. As I laughed, I realized that Emmett was often underestimated, even by our family members. He used his sense of humor as a tool and he was sensitive to the needs of others. I couldn't help it, I loved the big idiot!

After our laughing fit, we decided to head back to the house and get cleaned up. After a quick shower, Emmett went downstairs to play video games with Jasper. Everyone else had gone shopping for the day, so I decided to take advantage of the peace and quiet by choosing a book from Jasper's study. He had shown it to me before we left to hunt and said to read whatever I liked. I wasn't really sure what I would like, since I obviously had no memory of any books I read as a human, but settled on one that had been a bestseller, or so said the cover. Ironically enough, it was about vampires in Louisiana. I chuckled to myself as I carried it back downstairs and prepared to curl up on the sofa.

Before I could even drop to the sofa cushion, he had wrapped his arms around me and pushed me against the wall. In my panic stricken frame of mind, I forgot that I had newborn strength and didn't even fight him. I managed a small terrified squeak before he crushed his lips to mine.

The second they made contact, I heard Emmett's vicious growl and the stranger was ripped away from me. I sank to my knees sobbing in relief. Who in the holy hell was that?

Jasper was by my side almost instantly, stroking my back as I clutched my knees to my chest and sobbed. I felt completely violated. Emmett was holding the strange vampire back and yelling at him.

"What in the fuck do you think you are doing, Edward? You will keep your goddamned hands off of her or I will remove them from your arms." he growled.

Who in the hell was Edward?

The stranger, Edward, wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to Emmett's threats and continued to struggle in his grasp, never breaking his eye contact with me.

"Bella! Why don't you remember me? I thought you'd realize we were destined to be together now that you are like me! I don't understand. Bella?" he shouted, pain marring his otherwise beautiful face.

"I…I'm sorry…I…don't know…you," I managed to respond between sobs.

"Jaz, I'm going to need some help here." Emmett growled between clenched teeth.

Jasper sent a wave of calm to me before standing and making his way over to Emmett and Edward. I watched apprehensively as Jasper laid his hand on Edward's bare forearm. A brief moment later, Edward slumped back in Emmett's arms, eyes closed as if he was sleeping. Jasper, making sure to keep contact with his bare skin, took him and carried him down the hallway to the guest room and closed the door softly behind him.

Emmett scooped me up and carried me to the couch before the click of the door latch was heard. I clutched him as if my very existence depended on it, shaking hard in his arms. What the hell about that had spooked me so much? I mean, sure, I had been startled, but it wasn't as if he had hurt me…

Just as suddenly as if a switch had been flipped, I was no longer in the safe familiar living room.

_I was in a dark green forest with Edward. He wouldn't meet my eyes. Somehow I knew that I wouldn't like what he was getting ready to say to me. I was afraid. Something bad had happened, what I'm not sure, but it had scared him and now things were not good between us. He had been different towards me since that something bad had happened. Today, he had brought me to these dark woods and now he was looking everywhere but my face. His entire body was tight with tension, his muscles almost vibrating with it. Slowly, he opened his mouth to speak,_

"_We're leaving." he said, still not meeting my eyes._

"_When you say we -," I whispered._

"_I mean my family and myself." Each word separate and distinct._

_I shook my head trying to clear it as a wave of nausea rolled through me. I had misunderstood._

"_You promised! In Phoenix, you promised that you would stay-"I cried, wanting so badly to sound angry but sounding pathetic instead._

"_Bella, I don't want you to come with me." the words spoken coldly, deliberately cruel in a way he had never been with me._

"_You…don't…want me?" I stuttered out, unable to absorb the atrocious thing he was saying to me._

"_No." he replied without pause, his normally warm topaz eyes cold, so cold._

"_Don't…don't do this." I whispered as the truth of his words began to leak into my very soul._

"_You're not good for me, Bella." he replied, eyes shifting away once again._

_Stunned, I could only gape at him, he had singlehandedly destroyed everything that I thought was safe and comfortable in my world._

_But he wasn't finished yet,_

"_I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back." he said with more passion than he had previously displayed._

"_It will be as if I never existed." he finished grimly._

_He said more, so much more, but I could no longer hear over the pounding blood in my ears. His melodic voice was dim and far away._

_I tuned back in as he finished._

"_That's everything, I suppose. We won't bother you again." he took a step away from me._

_We? The plural caught my attention even as the rest of the world was receding. He was taking them all from me. None of them were coming back. Alice, Emmett, Esme, Jasper, Carlisle, and ever Rosalie had all abandoned me, too._

_In the briefest of moments I felt his cold lips press against my forehead and then he was gone._

_They left me…my family left me. I was alone._

_Love, life, meaning…over._

**EmPOV**

She had gone rigid in my arms and was staring blankly across the room. It wasn't unlike how Alice looked when she got a vision, but Bella was trembling and quaking in my arms. It was if whatever was happening to her was so awful that her body was rebelling against it. Seconds gave way to minutes, too long.

I didn't know what to do. Where the hell were the others? I did the only thing I knew to do. I called for Jasper. He wasn't a doctor, but he could at least tell me what she was feeling and maybe he knew how to snap her out of it. He had, obviously, helped Alice with her visions for over half a century.

He was by my side almost instantly, his eyes wide and expression pained. Whatever she was feeling it was awful.

"What happened?" he asked, his teeth clenched against her agony.

"I don't know. I was holding her and she was freaking out and then all the sudden she zoned out like this." I replied, panic lacing my reply.

"It's almost like one of Alice's visions, but she's in so much pain…emotional mostly, I think. I'm going to try to calm her and see if that will snap her out of it," he said, shoving her sleeve up to lay his hand against her bare skin.

After a few minutes of contact, she began to calm down, though her eyes were still unfocused. Jasper didn't stop, but began to whisper softly in her ear, too low for even my hearing to catch.

Abruptly, she cried out and launched herself out of my lap and away from him. She landed in a crouch with wild eyes before running from the room and upstairs. I heard the bedroom door slam shut.

Jasper was still wide-eyed and grimacing. I met his eyes and he nodded slightly, acknowledging my gratitude for snapping her out of the trance.

I climbed the stairs at human speed, afraid of what might be waiting for me; not afraid of Bella but for her.

I opened the door slowly and at first didn't see her. She had pulled her knees up to her chest and was rocking slightly. I could see her lips moving in an almost silent litany. I crept forward to hear what she was saying.

"You left me, you're gone, you left me, you're gone."

Over and over she whispered those words. I crept closer, intending to pull her into my arms, but her eyes rolled towards me wildly in terror and she hissed sharply. I pulled back not wanting to terrify her any more. I was so submerged in my fear for her, that I didn't notice when Jasper entered the room and laid his hand on my shoulder.

"What else can we do for her, Jasper?" I asked, knowing that there was little I could do to help her, but needing to try.

"I can knock her out for a bit. She might come to calmer, but it could also backfire and she might not come back at all, Emmett. I've broken vampires with my gift before. I can't do anything to hurt her, Emmett. I called Carlisle and they are almost home." he replied softly, forcing a strong wave of calm onto me.

I fought it slightly, before he growled low in his chest at me.

"Emmett, you have got to fuckin' calm down. I can't deal with your panic and hers. I need you to calm down," he snarled, pushing the emotion through his hand again where it still lay on my shoulder.

This time, I relaxed and accepted his gift, though I could still feel panic bubbling below the surface.

We sat down in silent vigil waiting for the rest of the family to arrive. Bella continued to rock and mutter in the corner, seemingly unaware of our presence as long as we stayed still.

It seemed like days had passed before I smelled the rest of the family enter the home. Carlisle, Tiernan, and Alice immediately burst into the room. Bella snapped her head up at the intrusion and bared her teeth threateningly, before resuming her chant. She had stopped rocking about 15 minutes earlier. I prayed that was a sign of progress.

Alice danced over to Jasper and whispered in his ear, softly so the rest of us couldn't hear. He nodded once in agreement. Alice turned to Carlisle, Tiernan, and I before speaking softly,

"Please leave; I know how to help her. Jasper and I can handle this. She's going to be fine in a few minutes, but you need to leave for a moment."

We filed out of the room; we would never bet against Alice, especially about something this important.

**APOV**

As soon as the others left, I turned to Jasper.

"Jasper, I saw this happening to her. It's a memory that has caused this pain. She's trapped in it to an extent. I need your help to snap her out of it."

He nodded once, his beautiful face mirroring the pain in my sister's eyes.

"I need you to shock her out of this. Throw everything you can think of at her until I tell you to stop. I know this is hard for you, but you have to do this for her."

I felt the atmosphere of the room change slightly as he gathered his power. He had not used his gift in this way since his days with Maria's army and I could feel his revulsion as he projected it slightly outward subconsciously.

I watched Bella closely as she writhed and moaned on the floor. I was waiting for her to cry out his name. When she cried out Edward's name, it would be safe for me to go to her and comfort her.

Jasper was projecting more as his strength waned and the fatigue began to bleed through. It wouldn't be long now. He was whimpering occasionally now as he took on as much of her pain as he could.

After another few moments, she jerked as if she had been electrocuted and screamed his name as if her heart had been ripped from her chest.

I flew to her side and gathered her limp body in my arms, stroking her disheveled hair back from her forehead as Jasper sent small bursts of peace to us. He couldn't sustain the steady stream anymore, but refused to stop completely, still able to feel Bella's anguish.

"It's ok, Jaz, she's going to be OK, now. You saved her, baby." I crooned as he dropped to his knees, his eyes black as pitch, "Go hunt…come back when you're ready, love. Tell the others to stay out until I come to get them."

He nodded and slowly left the room. I could hear him telling them to wait for me and Emmett begging to come in now.

I lifted Bella and slipped her under the covers on their bed. She would allow him to comfort her now and they would talk about the memory afterwards.

I kissed her cheek and went out to get him.

**EmPOV**

Alice motioned me toward the darkend room as she left it. I slipped past her through the open doorway, shutting the door softly behind me.

Bella was quiet and still as she lay in our bed. I approached her slowly, remembering her earlier terror.

"Bella, honey, what can I do?" I whispered as I stretched my body out next to her.

"Don't ever leave me again, Emmett. Please stay here." she begged, her voice raw and hoarse from sobbing.

In that moment I knew what had happened. She had seen our abandonment of her. She didn't trust us not to leave her again.

I pulled her tight against my chest and whispered fiercely,

"Isabella, I will never ever leave you again. You have no idea how very sorry I am that it happened the first time, but I can promise you that there will never come a time when I am not with you unless you tell me you no longer want me."

She relaxed a bit in my arms and leaned up to brush her lips softly against mine.

"I will always want you, Emmett, body and soul. Make me yours, please, I need you." she sighed against my lips.

I slowly removed my our clothing until we were skin to skin on the bed. This would be the first time making love to me that would be in her memory; I wanted it to be slow and tender.

I claimed her lips first, stroking my tongue gently against her lips before she opened to me. As the kiss deepened, I moved to massage her firm breasts lightly, savoring her moans of pleasure. I tasted every inch of her bare skin before slipping my finger inside her. She cried out softly and bucked her hips as I thrust them in and out, building her release. My thumb rubbed circles against her engorged clit.

Never more grateful for the ability to not breathe, I claimed her mouth again; mimicking slightly the motions of my fingers with my probing tongue. She began to writhe under me and I knew she was close to her release; but fighting it, afraid to lose control.

"Bella, you're safe with me. Let go, baby. Let me help you feel good." I whispered, feeling her begin to tighten around my fingers.

I began to thrust faster and deeper as I whispered in her ear. She moaned my name as I bit down on her neck and exploded. Her body spasmed and convulsed around me but I kept up my steady hard rhythm.

As she finally began to come down, I kissed her lips softly, reverently as I moved over her and sunk deep inside her. It was my turn to moan as she pushed against my shoulders and flipped us over. I could barely stand the sensations she was creating in me as I watched her ride me, her face aglow with pleasure and love.

I could feel her tightening around me again, so I began to guide her hips with my hands forcing a harder faster rhythm from our bodies. We cried out together as our pleasure crashed over us and she collapsed against my chest relaxed and limp in my arms.

I rolled us to our sides and pulled her against my chest.

"I love you, Bella. I will never leave you again. Please forgive me." I whispered.

"I love you, too, Emmett. I'm sure if I could remember everything else, it wouldn't have affected me so much. The things he said to me…"she shuddered as she trailed off, "Please, I know we need to talk about this, but not right now. I just want to lay here safe in your arms right now."

"OK, baby, you're safe with me. We'll talk about it when you're ready." I whispered, burying my face in her hair and inhaling her scent.

I would just work on making her feel safe for now. Everything else could wait for later.


	21. Starting Over

**DISCLAIMER: Ms. Meyer still owns Twilight and I own nothing but Tiernan!**

**Thanks to all my readers for nominating Anchorage (Best AU WIP, Best Original Character WIP, Best non-ExB WIP) and Worth the Pain (Best non-ExB Complete) for The Indie Twific Awards. What an honor for a gal who just really likes Twilight! Voting to narrow down the nominations starts on July 8 and runs until July 15, so don't forget to show your love then, too! Thanks again; you guys are awesome!**

Starting Over

**BPOV**

I had found solace and peace with Emmett for the last several weeks. I was remembering more snatches of our previous life together. Everything I remembered just further solidified the intense love and intimacy we shared. From Karaoke parties to laid-back TV time, Emmett was everything I needed in this new existence.

As happy as I was living in my Emmett-induced bubble, I knew that I had to resolve things with Edward somehow. He deserved a chance to start over, as did I, but I was afraid; not so much of him, but of remembering more about him and the pain we had caused each other.

The family was careful to keep us separated or, at the very least, chaperoned. They didn't trust him near me alone and I couldn't say it bothered me. I didn't trust him either. He was absolutely convinced that he could make me love him again and I knew it was a dangerous delusion for him to hold. I belonged to Emmett, body and soul.

We had packed up and moved the week before and I honestly missed the comfort and familiarity of the Anchorage home, but my newborn status and faked death made it necessary to move on. We were living together in a remote cabin, probably too modest a description, near Emmett's human home in Tennessee. It was not accessible by vehicle, even 4x4, so the cars were housed in a garage several miles from the home and we just ran from there to the cabin.

When I had finally remembered my Quileute friends, Carlisle had been kind enough to let Seth and Embry know what had happened and after a few tense days, I now had a lively email and IM friendship with them. I would most likely never actually see them again, but it was nice to have that small connection still with the men who had done so much for me. They had been upset, understandably, but had eventually agreed that there was no other option if my death was the only other choice.

Sitting on the back deck of our cabin, I thought about all of these things. I was slowly rebuilding my relationships with the rest of my family. I had scattered memories with each of them now and I was beginning to believe that most of my memories that could be recovered, now were. I had gradually accepted that I had lost parts of my life. I had no memory of my human parents, my years in college, and only a sketchy recollection of my time in high school. I knew that Alice had been my best friend and that it had only been shortly before my change that I had been able to have a friendship with Jasper. I shuddered slightly at the thought of him not being in my life now. He was truly my best friend and closest confidant, though things had been tense during a conversation about my 18th birthday.

_It had been shortly after recovering the memory of Edward leaving me in the woods that I had begun to question why he had done it. Emmett would get uncomfortable and clam up if I asked him about it. Tiernan, my brother in every sense of the word and my constant supporter, had not been with the family at that time and didn't feel it was his place to tell me anything about what was essentially hearsay to him. Alice only said that she wasn't the one I should ask. My quest for answers eventually led me to Jasper. I knew he would not lie to me and I truly didn't know who else to ask._

_I had finally cornered him on the back deck of our home. He was sketching as usual, his boot clad feet propped on the railing and a cigarette smoldering between his lips. The early morning sun was just beginning to poke through the treetops of our Alaskan forest and he looked like an angel. Of all of the Cullens, Jasper was the most physically imperfect, with his prominent battle scars, but somehow his imperfections and gentle loving spirit made him that much more beautiful. I stood quietly observing him. It was somewhat unusual to catch him completely at peace. He took so many of our emotional burdens upon himself, always the peacemaker and comforter of our family. I loved him fiercely and knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for me. We were very much alike._

"_Bella, come sit with me, sugar. You could never bother me."_

_I crossed the deck to sit next to him in silence, glad for the millionth time that he could sense my emotions. We sat in companionable silence as I watched him sketch. It was a picture of Alice and his love was evident in every stroke of his charcoal pencil. She seemed to glow with an inner light and she looked like an angel with a gentle smile on her face. Feeling my awe and admiration for his work, he spoke,_

"_Ali saved me, Bella. She __**is**__ my angel. Without her, I would have wandered for who knows how long before finding true peace. She fixed places in me that I wasn't even aware were broken. She taught me to love and to be loved, something I had never known as a vampire. But most importantly, she brought me to this family and gave me hope that, even as evil and flawed as my existence had been, I could be better and realize the life I deserved._

"_You know that you were an important part of finally letting me realize that life, as well, Bella. How much do you remember about your 18__th__ birthday?" he asked, softly._

_I pondered his question a moment, not really sure where this conversation was headed. I remembered snatches of that day. I remembered that something had happened that day that forced Edward's hand. He had used that event as an excuse to leave me._

"_Not very much, Jasper. I remember that I didn't want a party, but Alice and Edward were adamant that we have one. I remember being in the house in Forks with all of you. I remember opening some presents, a car stereo & airplane ticket vouchers. I remember pain and fear, but not the reason for it._

"_Mostly I remember Edward leaving me just a short time later and alluding to the party as the final straw; his catalyst to action, so to speak." _

"_Bella, I am the reason he left you; forced all of us to leave you," he replied, pain evident in his smooth baritone._

"_No, Jasper…that can't …" I started._

_He cut me off smoothly and continued,_

"_Bella, you got a paper cut. I attacked you over a goddamned paper cut. Emmett and Rose had to drag me out of the fucking house to keep me from draining you. So you see Bella, the monster in me was very strong. I saw and felt your fear, but it didn't matter one fucking bit to me at that moment. He left you because I let the monster loose."_

_I sucked in an unnecessary breath. My hands trembled in rage. That fucking coward! He left me over an instinctual response from one of the members of our family. He drew me into their lives and then fucking abandoned me; hurting me and the rest of his family at the same time. Before I could formulate a response to this revelation, Jasper began to gather his things and stood,_

"_Bella, I'm sorry. I have no excuse for that action, but I used it and my shame to tame the monster once and for all. I haven't been so much as tempted by a human's blood in over 5 years. I have you and that atrocious incident to thank for that. You forgave me once. I hope in time that you can forgive me again."_

"_Jasper Whitlock! Don't you walk the hell away from me after telling me that! Why in the world wouldn't I forgive you? You are a vampire. I was a human girl who just happened to be unlucky enough to fucking bleed in front of you. Tell me this…did you feel their bloodlust, too? Isn't there a chance that your own bloodlust could have been managed if you hadn't had to feel all of theirs, too? Do you not feel what those around you feel? Why would bloodlust be any different?"_

_I continued, in a softer tone as he turned towards me, a look of awe on his beautiful face as I took a few steps towards him, it did not escape my notice that he tensed slightly, unsure of my motivations,_

"_Jasper, I love you. You are my brother and my friend. I forgive you. I will always forgive you. Please don't run away from me." I finished softly, wrapping my arms around his tense body._

_He relaxed into my embrace and kissed the crown of my head, inhaling the scent of my hair. I could feel his intense relief and love as he projected the emotions to me, the effects intensified by our contact._

"_Bella, I love you, too. You are better to me than I deserve," he sighed softly, his voice hoarse with emotion._

"_Never, Jasper. You deserve my love and so much more. You are a good man, please don't hold onto this pain and regret any longer." I whispered back, feeling his nod of agreement, and knowing that we would be fine now._

My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle cough and the smell of heather and rain; Tiernan. He moved next to me and sat in the empty chair. He was quiet, only wanting to share a few moments with me.

Of all the Cullens, I had the least history with Tiernan. For some reason, that sometimes made him the one I could most easily discuss the aspects of my fucked up memory with. It didn't hurt him that I couldn't remember much of my human life. He was also my sire and we shared a bond forged by venom.

As much as the others tried to conceal their pain from me, I knew it hurt that I couldn't recall my time with them. Tiernan didn't really have much of a history with me. He was content to start fresh, though I knew he saw me as a little sister based on decisions I could no longer remember making. I had taken his name as my own after my change. I couldn't very well continue to be Isabella Marie Swan. She was dead; killed by a moose on a snowy Alaskan morning 6 weeks ago. I was Isabella Marie Sullivan now, younger sister to Tiernan Michael Sullivan. The outside world would only ever know us that way.

After a few moments, I spoke,

"Tiernan, I need your advice. This thing with Edward has to be resolved. He has to move on and understand that Emmett is my true mate. I don't know what to do to make this right."

Tiernan remained silent, thinking about how to respond to my somewhat desperate declaration.

"Bella, it is always hard to break a heart or end a relationship. Harder this time, I think, because you can't remember the reasons why it is the right thing to do and Edward will use that knowledge to manipulate you.

"Do you want to know what I know of your relationship with him? Keep in mind I only know what the others have told me…" he asked.

I thought for a moment; would it help anything for me to rehash yet again all the things we had been through? Probably not. Would it make me feel better to hear what Tiernan thought? Absolutely.

"Yes, Tiernan. I trust your opinion and I need your advice." I replied.

"Ok, Bella. From what everyone has told me, Edward had been alone almost a century before meeting you. Once he met you, you were the first person he couldn't read. Your mind was completely silent to him and your blood sang to him. You, Bella, were his singer.

"Do you know how hard it is for a vampire to resist their singer? Edward struggled for months to desensitize himself to your blood. Every moment with you was agony laced with pleasure.

"When you discovered what he and the rest of the family were, you accepted it wholeheartedly and from that point on, you fought his decision to keep you human. It was a constant source of tension between you. Edward believed you would lose your soul and wasn't willing to take your life. You contended that he already owned your soul, so what did you really have to lose?

"By the time your 18th birthday rolled around, you were almost frantic to be changed. You did not want to continue to age when he would be forever frozen at 17. When Jasper had his lapse of control that night, Edward overreacted and caused you more harm by pushing you into the table of glassware. It was the catalyst he needed to leave you. He loved you and still does. It was never his intention to allow you this life and he couldn't bear to be the reason your life would end.

"Their leaving almost killed you. You spent the better part of a year getting over their abandonment, but eventually you did. You lived your life and tried to move on. When your father was killed by a vindictive vampire, Victoria, to punish both you and Edward, he came to you to once again keep you safe. You lashed out at him, blamed his for all the pain and awfulness that had befallen you in the years since he disappeared. You contended that if the family had stayed, you might have become a vampire, but your father would have been safe.

"You see, Bella, your relationship with him was doomed from the moment you began. He had no intention of ever allowing you to be his equal and you couldn't live as his pet. To move forward now, you are going to have to tell him things he doesn't want to hear and make clear your desire to move forward with Emmett as your mate. There will be no room for ambiguity, Bella. You cannot give him false hope by sparing his feelings; it would be cruel and he deserves a chance to move on, too."

"Tiernan, what if I look in his eyes and I can't do it? I no longer love him; truly I can barely even remember him. I feel nothing for him except pity and familial love. I don't want him to suffer, but I cannot be with him out of pity. I love Emmett and respect myself too much to do that to either of us." I moaned, distraught at the thought of destroying this man who had loved me so well in the past.

"Bella, you must do what is right rather than what is easy, and you must do it soon. Emmett will wait for you forever, but it is cruel to keep him wondering if you are really his. He fears that Edward will draw you back to him. Go to Edward, end his delusion, and take your mate. It's time to move on completely, sister. Do the right thing. It will hurt him for now, but eventually he will heal." Tiernan hugged me and left the deck.

I knew what I had to do. I had to break his heart and take away any hope he had of being my mate. Emmett was my future now. Edward was my past. I had to do this to give us a chance at happiness, both mine and Emmett's, as well as Edward's. With a sigh, I got up and headed into the house.

No time like the present…


	22. Indie Twific Update

**Sorry for the AN here, but The Indie Twific Awards site had some technical difficulties with their voting system, so the initial voting begins today, July 9****th**** at noon. There is some stiff competition and all the stories are lovely. I would love for you to vote for mine if you feel they are worthy of the recognition. Visit www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com or my profile for the link. Here's a recap of the categories that my stories have been nominated into:**

**Anchorage is for Lovers:**

_**Best non-ExB WIP**_

_**Best Original Character WIP (if you love Tiernan as much as I do, this would be so cool!)**_

_**Best AU WIP**_

**Worth the Pain:**

_**Best non-ExB Complete**_

**OK, I promise to get a real chapter up in the next couple days for Anchorage and by the first of the week for Gateway. Thanks as always for your loyal support! I have great readers!**

**PS: I'm going to stick a poll on my profile (up in a few minutes) because I have a tiny bit of writer's block and I'm hoping a quick unrelated one-shot might shake it off for me…go vote on the pairing you like best and I'll do the top 2.**


	23. Breaking up is hard to do

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. Tiernan is all mine, though!**

**The One-Shot poll has been closed with an overwhelming response for a Jasper/Bella & Emmett/Bella. Umm, and cause I love Peter/Bella and they finished a very close third, I'll throw that one in, too. Stay tuned…Jasper/Bella will post tonight…Thank you to everyone who voted!**

Breaking up is hard to do…

**BPOV**

As I walked into the house to search out Edward, Alice was waiting on the bottom step of the stairs. I knew that she knew what would happen between Edward and me, but I honestly didn't want to know. I needed to go into this conversation blind. The last thing I needed was to fulfill some weird prophecy.

"Bella, I know you don't want to know the outcome, so I won't tell you. You're going to help him today even as you hurt him. Talk with him away from the house…it'll be safe for you both." Alice said softly, a cryptic grin on her pixie-like face, before flitting upstairs.

I made my way past the stairway and down the hallway to the small bedroom just past the unused kitchen. The door was closed, so I rapped lightly on the door, fully aware that he would already know it was me on the other side.

"Come in, Bella," he responded, his voice as smooth and beautiful as it had ever been.

I entered his room and saw him lying on a bed reading. I cleared my throat unnecessarily and spoke softly,

"Edward, would you come for a hunt with me?"

He looked up from his book, a surprised expression on his angelic face and nodded. He closed his book and rose from his position on the bed, slipping on shoes and following me from the room. He had gradually regained some measure of his previously displayed charm and control. I knew that Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper had been helping him to regain it. I hoped what I did today would not undo what they had started. Alice seemed to think it would not. I would always trust her.

I held out my hand to him and he took it lightly in his own as we ran toward the woods near our home. I was unsurprised when there was no spark of feeling as our hands met. He, however, seemed to have expected something more when our hands clasped and I felt him tense slightly when nothing further came. I hoped that it would help his acceptance of the hard truths I would be bringing him today.

We came upon a small herd of deer soon after entering the forest and hunted until out thirst was quenched. I finished last and turned to see Edward leaning against a tree, watching me with a crooked smile. For the first time in his presence, I could see what the human Bella might have been captivated by. He was very handsome, his charm and intrigue unparalleled in any other I had met, except perhaps for Jasper, who shared an equally mysterious demeanor.

"Bella, I cannot read your mind. I've never been able to. So, why don't you tell me why you have brought me here today?"

"Edward, I have little memory of our time together when I was a human. Surely, you know about that. Why did you leave me? Tell me about what we had together."

He paused, sinking to the ground and leaning his back against the tree trunk. He glanced up at me and patted the spot next to him. I inclined my head gently and reluctantly sank down next to him.

"Bella, you have asked a complicated question. Shall I start at the beginning, then?"

I nodded and settled back against the tree trunk.

"You were a 17 year old girl in high school when I first met you. You joined my biology class, sat beside me; you were my lab partner," he paused to chuckle mirthlessly before continuing, "I almost killed you that first day. I even planned the death of all the children and the teacher in that room. Somehow, I resisted. I ran home to Carlisle and the rest of my family followed. You were my singer. Do you know what that is?"

I nodded and he continued.

"I ran from you. I was angry and I hated you for making me feel like a monster, for sabotaging my carefully held control. For a week, I hid with our friends, The Denali Coven. I tried to figure out what to do about you. You were a mystery to me. I could not read your mind and you smelled better to me than any other human I had ever been near.

"Eventually, I returned to Forks. I made a decision to resist the call of your blood. I decided then that I would get to know you, to understand what you were to me.

"After school that first day back, I saved your life. I wasn't sure why at the time, I only knew I had to know more about you and I couldn't do that if you were dead. What an uproar that caused in the family. You know, Jasper wanted to end your life; Rosalie, too, they couldn't bear for the family to be endangered by my rash behavior. Ironically enough, Emmett loved you from the beginning. Perhaps I should have known then that we were not destined for each other. Alice never wavered from her absolute conviction that you would be one of us one day. I suppose we can yet again see that it is not wise to bet against Alice," he smiled; a hard, bitter grimace.

"You wanted to be turned, you know. I fought your decision, even as the rest of the family, minus Rose, tried to persuade me to allow it. When the tracker, James, bit you, I sucked the venom from your body. You should have heard the thoughts of my family over that decision. Jasper, especially, disliked the decision. He thought it was akin to torture and by that time he loved you as a sister. Alice was also disgusted with me; she believed I was just prolonging the inevitable.

"You see, Bella, I couldn't allow you to be turned. Everything I loved about you was tied up in that human existence; your scent, your alluring blood, and your mysterious mind. I couldn't lose everything about you that I wanted. From that point onward, I focused all my energy on protecting you from harm. You had to be protected, preserved. You were so fragile. You wanted me; your humanity demanding a deeper intimacy, but I could never allow that. It would have forced my hand; if I had hurt you then the only option that my family would have considered was to turn you.

"Eventually, Jasper gave me an excuse to protect you in the most final way. His momentary lapse allowed me to leave you. I could no longer bear to be near you without a constant fear that you would be harmed. I left you to keep you safe, Bella," he paused here, gauging my reaction to what he had said.

The venom was sizzling in my veins and my hands were clenched into fists, rigid in my lap. I would control my urge to rip his arrogant head from his shoulders. That conceited son of a bitch! He had never truly loved me. I was an enigma, a pet, a mystery to be solved and nothing else. Tiernan had been correct. He knew nothing of the true me, the me that loved him.

"Edward, you unbelievable bastard! You arrogant pompous asshole! Is that all I ever was to you? A pet? A mystery to be protected until it could be solved? I loved you! With every fiber of my being I wanted you. I was willing to give up my humanity just for the chance to be with you forever. You never had the first intention of loving me and staying with me. I should thank Jasper for attacking me. It ultimately got you out of my life and led me to the love of my existence, Emmett.

"Edward, I am no longer the human pet you coveted. Coveted, not loved. I will never be your possession again. I belong to Emmett, as he belongs to me. Maybe someday you will find love, Edward, and when you do, you'll see how awful what you did to me as a human was. Right now, I want to rip your head off, but I won't do that because, unlike you, I am capable of loving another and I would never do that to our family.

"Think about what's been said here today, Edward. Get your head out of your ass. I want to heal this family. Help me to do that. Accept that we were never destined to be together. I love Emmett. He is my mate, not you. That will never change, not for anything or anyone in this existence.

"Goodbye, Edward. Thank you for once in your existence being truthful with me. We can move forward now someday. Let me go, Edward, as I did you so long ago. Move on and be happy. Find the person that completes you. I loved you enough once to wish that for you." I finished my tirade, took in his open mouthed gape, turned on my heel and stalked back toward the house.

Standing on the deck as I entered the yard was my love, my Emmett. I couldn't bear the expression on his face. He exuded sadness and loss. He thought I had chosen Edward again. I ran to him and threw myself in his arms.

"Bella," he sighed into my hair, loss and resignation heavy in his voice.

"Emmett, I love you! I choose you! Always, forever. Edward is my past. Emmett, please, be my future, my eternity." I sobbed, afraid I had lost the one man that had never forsaken me and had done nothing but love me.

He pulled back to look in my eyes. Elation, awe, and love were shining in their fathomless ocher depths.

"Bella?" he whispered, questioning this time the truth of my words.

I would spend the rest of eternity showing this beautiful loving man how much I loved him. I would never give him cause to doubt my devotion and love again.

"Emmett, please forgive me. I love you. I want you! No one else matters. I want, no, _I need_ to be your mate. Please, Emmett, say that you'll still have me, that you still love me, even after all the uncertainty and pain I've caused you." I begged, as venomous unshedable tears welled in my eyes.

I had barely gotten the words from my mouth before he pulled me to his chest and crushed his lips to mine. He spoke between fierce frantic kisses,

"Bella…I would…never…leave you…I will…love…you…for eternity. You…are already…my mate…baby…if you'll… have me."

"Take me to your bed, Emmett. Show me that I'm yours." I moaned, unable to resist my desire for him for even a moment longer.

He scooped me up in his arms as if I weighed no more than a feather, never breaking the contact between our lips. He was devouring my lips and along with them my soul. I knew this time with Emmett would be different than the others I had shared with him. We were claiming each other for the first time in this new existence. I trembled in his arms with the impact of my love and desire to be one with him.

He kicked our bedroom door closed and moaned in my ear,

"I can't be slow and gentle this time, Bella. I'm sorry. Gentle will be next…" he trailed off, lifting my shirt up and over my head and tossing it across the room even as my fingers worked the buttons of his shirt and tossed it to the same pile.

"I don't need gentle. I just need you, Emmett," I moaned in response, shimmying out of my pants and panties and he shucked his own jeans down and off.

With a growl he scooped me up and turned to pin me against the wall. I wrapped my legs around him, answering him with my own low growl as he thrust inside me. He thrust hard and fast, deeper than my human body could have endured. I growled my approval and nipped his jaw, earlobe, and neck. I could feel my orgasm building and felt his muscles tightening and knew he would explode soon, as well.

"Please, Emmett, cum with me baby, please." I begged, groaning at the overwhelming pleasure his hard deep thrusts were bringing me.

He pulled me closer to him, his thrusts becoming impossibly harder and more erratic, crushing his lips to mine as I screamed his name with my release, feeling him pulse inside me even as I spiraled out of control in his arms.

He never broke our contact as he carried me to our bed and reverently laid me down, covering me with his body. He rolled to the side and slipped from me, both of us sighing our displeasure at the loss of contact.

Pulling me close to his hard perfect body, he began to kiss my face, my eyelids, my nose, my cheeks, my chin, before making his way down the line of my jaw to lavish his attention to the skin of my neck and shoulders. I could feel him hardening again against my hip and reached down to stroke him. He gently pushed my hand away.

"Let me worship you, Bella. I need to touch all of you; I need to feel every inch of you. God, I love you so much, baby," he whispered.

"Please, Emmett. Oh, God! I love you, too." I moaned as he slipped down my body, kissing, sucking, and tasting everything in his path.

He paused at the juncture of my parted thighs, murmuring softly, his breath whispering across me causing delicious shivers to course up my spine and a breathy moan to escape my lips.

"You are so amazingly beautiful, my sweet Bella," he sighed, slipping his finger deep inside of me before following with his tongue.

I cried out his name at the sensation of his tongue laving my sensitive bundle of nerves as his hard smooth finger pressed into me. He responded with a sexy growl that vibrated against my tender sensitive flesh as he slipped a second finger inside, twisting them as he continued to suck my aching clit.

I struggled to hold off the orgasm building inside me; it was scary in its intensity. I feared losing all control. Emmett sensing my restraint, whispered to me, never ceasing in his ministrations,

"Bella, let go, baby. Let it come. I'll be with you. Be mine, body and soul, honey."

I cried out and did as my mate asked me. I let it come; every sensation heightened by my stronger more sensitive vampiric senses. Every color of the spectrum flashed in front of my closed eyelids. I growled and snarled and moaned my way through the intensity. Emmett clasped me to him in a viselike grip, refusing to allow me to escape him; claiming my body as his and rewarding my submission with wave after wave of pleasure until both of us were growling and purring our satisfaction and my body was spent.

He crawled back up my body and kissed me softly, tenderly, stroking my hair and pulling me again to his hard perfect body. I lay whimpering in his arms as the aftershocks from the most intense orgasm of my existence coursed through my body. He soothed my overly sensitive body with his smooth hard hands, at once gentle and calming; murmuring softly of his undying eternal love for me. Gradually my trembling eased and his touch began to again incite my passion and desire for him.

I pushed lightly against his shoulders and he rolled to his back. I straddled him, feeling his incredibly hard cock against my ass. I teased him a bit, running the crack of my ass softly up and down his impressive length. He moaned my name and bucked against me.

"Please, Bella. Oh baby, please. I need to be inside you," he moaned brokenly.

I wouldn't make him beg. This was my mate, my love, my Emmett. In a swift hard movement, I sank down onto him. His hands grasped my hips, steadying me as we began to move together in a slow, sensual, and intimate rhythm. I dropped down until our skin was rubbing together with each undulation of my hips. I clutched him to me as we writhed together; slowly and surely edging toward the abyss of pleasure together. Time ceased to have any meaning as we blurred the reality of our two bodies into one entity; we were entirely dependent on each other; both alternately needing the connection and tenderness of this coupling and desiring release from it. I could feel Emmett's body tensing underneath me, so keeping my strokes gentle; I increased the depth and speed of my strokes against him.

He sighed my name as I felt the first spasms inside me from his release. I had never heard such a beautiful sound before as that of my name leaving his lips during his orgasm. The feelings it evoked set off my own climax and I collapsed against his muscular chest.

He rolled us to our sides, his arms wrapped tightly around me and my head tucked under his chin. I never wanted to leave his side again. I inhaled his masculine scent, filling my nose and soul with its fragrance. I had made my choice even before becoming like him. Now he knew my choice and we would never again doubt each others' love. He was mine for eternity and I would spend each day of it making sure he never regretted loving me.


	24. Epilogue: HEA

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie M. owns all things Twilight. Bold italics in this chapter indicate a thought versus a spoken comment.**

Epilogue: Happily Ever After

**BPOV**

I was sitting on the back deck again. I was absentmindedly doodling in my notebook and waiting for dawn to begin. The sky was beginning to lighten and it wouldn't be long before the day would begin. As I doodled, I thought about the events of the last year.

I had reconnected with my vampire family, made a new best friend in Jasper, fallen in love with my true soul mate, gained a brother in Tiernan, gotten killed by a moose, become a vampire, lost my memory, put Edward Cullen firmly in his place, and now, I was getting married.

I had decided not to pursue further education right now; my control around humans was pretty good for a newborn, but I wasn't ready for a constant assault yet. Instead, I had thrown myself headfirst into a writing career. I had just finished my first novel, about vampires no less, and it was selling faster than the printing house could print copies. I had to write under a pseudonym, but it was OK. I enjoyed it and I was damn good at it. For the first time since my change, I knew truly who I was.

I was Isabella Marie Sullivan, up and coming novelist, sister of Tiernan Michael Sullivan and sister-in-law of Rosalie Lillian Hale-Sullivan , fiancée and lover of Emmett McCarty Cullen, best friend of Jasper Whitlock and Mary Alice Brandon-Whitlock, daughter of Carlisle Cullen and Esme Platt-Cullen, and perhaps most importantly, friend of Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

After that day in the woods where I told Edward exactly where we stood relationship-wise and reassured Emmett of my undying love and loyalty to him, things had been strained in Casa de Cullen. We all hoped that Edward would not descend into self-pity, loathing, and madness again.

Thankfully, he surprised us all with his attitude. Though obviously distressed over our changed relationship, he had begun to rebuild his relationships with all of us. Emmett and Tiernan had gradually begun to trust him around me again and Jasper and Alice were happy to have their brother back. He began to play the piano again and had been composing a special piece for the last few months. He refused to tell any of us about it other than to say it was to be a gift for someone special to him. That had initially concerned me, but Jasper assured me that Edward felt no denial regarding my relationship with Emmett, only acceptance and genuine familial love.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the click of a lighter and smell of rich tobacco smoke. I turned my head to see who had come out.

"Hello, Bella. I hope I'm not disturbing you. Esme said she'd rip my arms off if I smoked in her house, so I came out here."

"Hi, Garrett. No problem at all. I was just thinking and waiting for the sun to rise. Where's Kate?"

"Oh, Alice dragged her somewhere for some last minute shopping after your bachelorette party last night. Tanya, Irina, Carmen, and Rosalie went with them, I think."

I nodded thoughtfully, wondering what they could possibly still need to buy. I hoped everything was OK. It was certainly the eleventh hour.

"Are the rest of the guys back yet?"

"They're on their way. I'm a little bit faster on the running front from all the years as a nomad. They'll be back in a few more minutes." Garrett replied, handing me the pack of cigarettes and the silver lighter.

We sat in silence after that, just enjoying the company and watching the sky lighten. Garrett had become a friend over the last several months. He had decided to join the Denali Coven and was doing his best to convince Kate to be his mate. They were good together, if a bit stubborn. Garrett had adopted the "vegetarian" lifestyle surprisingly easily and his once burgundy eyes were now a coppery color reflecting his recent dietary changes.

Garrett patted my knee before stubbing out his cigarette and heading back in the house, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the steadily rising dawn.

The Denali coven had traveled from Alaska to our new home for the wedding. Our other out of town guests included: Peter and Charlotte, Siobhan, Liam, & Maggie, Tia and Benjamin, Aro, Felix, and Heidi from Volterra, and many other friends of the family. The Cullens were well known and well respected within the vampire community.

I was honored to have them all in attendance, but my heart ached just a bit that I had no one here from my life. My entire vampiric existence had been spent with the Cullens and their friends were indeed mine, too. I had bonded particularly well with Peter, Charlotte, Garrett, and Kate, but it wasn't the same as having my own friends there with me. The Denali coven was family, of course, but I still missed mine and it made me sad that my father wouldn't be walking me down the aisle.

As I was mulling over these melancholy realizations, a light blanket of serenity washed over me.

"Thanks, Jaz." I murmured, reaching up to pat the hand he'd laid on my shoulder.

"Anytime, sugar. Care to talk about it?" he replied, his warm honeyed baritone soothing me as much as his ability.

"I miss my friends and family, Jasper. I always figured that when this day came for me, my daddy would walk me down the aisle and my friends and family would be lined up to watch me take my vows."

Jasper, bless his undead heart, was quiet. He just squeezed my shoulder lightly and let me feel how much he loved me. I knew he and the others loved me. They truly were my family in every sense of the word, but it didn't change anything. I had been crushed when there had been no response from Seth and Embry to the invitation I had sent them. I missed my wolves, but things had changed between us. I was, after all, their instinctive enemy now.

Jasper kissed the crown of my head and left me to my thoughts. He always seemed to know what I needed. I really wanted to see Emmett; he could calm me better than anyone else, but Alice had already threatened us both with bad luck, and pixie ire, if we saw each other before the wedding.

Speak of the devil, I heard her call me from inside the house.

"_**OK, Alice. Be right there."**_ I projected to her and heard her mentally huff a sigh.

There was something to be said for the gift of telepathy. I could project my thoughts and hear direct responses. I was much more limited than Edward, however. I couldn't hear everything all the time. My ability was much more selective, allowing me to project a thought and hear a response. Other than that, I could only hear thoughts that were directed to me. Carlisle thought it had something to do with my shield. It didn't bother me at all. I was glad I could afford my family some privacy. I couldn't imagine how Edward dealt with the constant barrage he was hit with.

I hefted myself out of the chair and tucked my pencil into the spirals of the notebook. Taking a last glance at the tree line, I saw the first edge of the sun peeking above the treetops and felt a flutter of excitement. Today was the day I had been waiting for. Today I would marry my Emmett.

I made my way slowly up the stairs to Alice & Jasper's room. As I opened the door, Alice was flittering about the room adjusting implements for my coming torture. Jasper was sprawled across the bed, an amused expression gracing his handsome face. When I stopped in the doorway, he raised an eyebrow at me and I could feel his amusement being projected outward. Alice felt it, too, and shot him a withering glare. He raised his hands in mock surrender and gracefully hoisted himself off the bed and kissed my cheek before leaving the room.

I had just settled into the chair and begun to resign myself to beauty hell, when there was a knock on the door and Alice shot over to it, flipping the lock on the knob, as if that would really keep any of us out.

"Emmett McCarty Cullen, don't you dare open this door! It is bad luck to see Bella today until the wedding. Now, go away!" she screeched.

"Aw, Alice. Come on; just let me talk to her for a second! I'll close my eyes…"he wheedled from the other side.

"Talk through the door, Emmett, and then go AWAY!" psycho pixie replied.

"Bella, baby…" he called softly, knowing I would hear him fine.

I rose from the chair and crossed to the door and pressed my forehead to the smooth wood. I couldn't touch him right now, but I knew he was leaned against it, too.

"_**Hi, honey. How was the hunting trip?"**_

"_**Fine, baby. I missed you though. It's been a long time since I hunted with anyone but you. I can't wait to see you later."**_

"_**I'll be the one in white."**_

"_**I'll be the one waiting for you at the front."**_

I smiled softly and turned to go back to my chair where Alice was waiting semi-patiently. Before I could sit down again though, I heard him speak at the door.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered.

"Love you, too, Em. Always," I replied, taking my seat and listening to him walk away from the door.

Alice went to work and I sat quietly thinking about all the good things in my life.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of primping and pampering. It's amazing how long it takes to be transformed into an elegant bride, even at vampire speed. Rosalie, Kate, Esme, Carmen, and Tanya all stayed with Alice and me for the bulk of the day. Maggie, from the Irish coven, and Charlotte, Peter's wife, also visited with us. Overall, the whole process had terrified me beforehand, but I found it relaxing and fun after my initial griping.

We took turns gossiping and doing stupid Cosmo quizzes. As the time for the wedding began to draw closer, we took turns zipping each other's dresses and painting nails and toenails or sharing the perfect shade of lipstick. Finally, they were all dressed and ready and it was time for me to get dressed.

Rosalie and Alice pulled the garment bag out of the closet and hung it from the back of the door. My sisters told me to close my eyes and I obeyed, not wanting to ruin their fun. I stepped into the mountain of fabric and felt them zip it and arrange the drape correctly. My eyes were still squeezed tightly shut and everyone was completely silent.

"Bella, open you r eyes and look in the mirror. You are beautiful, sister," Rosalie whispered in my ear.

Cautiously, I cracked open my eyes and gasped out loud. I looked beautiful, like a princess or celebrity. For the first time since my change, I was thankful for the inability to shed tears. Had I been able, I have no doubt I would have ruined all the time Alice and Kate had spent getting my make-up just right.

One by one, the women of my family drifted over to hug me before leaving the room. Finally, only Rosalie and I were left.

"_**Bella, I know we've always had our differences. I was never very nice to you. Thank you for taking care of him, Bella. No matter what happened between us, I did love him very much once and he'll always be important to me. Be good to him as I know he will be to you."**_

"_**Rosalie, sister, no matter what happened between us, I love you. You are my sister. I will take care of Emmett for the rest of my existence and I love him more than I ever thought I could love another person. I may have saved him, but he saved me right back!"**_

I saw her smile in the gilded mirror at our reflection. It had been a twisted road for us, but I could finally see a time when we would truly be sisters. She smoothed a wayward strand of hair and glided from the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I was wearing Emmett's wedding band on my thumb and was absentmindedly fiddling with it, when there was a light tap on the door. Tiernan opened the door a moment later and came to stand behind me, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders.

"Bella, I have something for you. It belonged to my mother and, if my sister had not died in infancy, it would have gone to her on her wedding day. You are my sister, Bella, and I want you to have it," Tiernan said softly, his brogue rougher and broader than usual and husky with emotion.

He reached into his suit jacket pocket and withdrew a black velvet pouch. He opened it to reveal a beautiful sapphire and diamond pendant necklace on a platinum chain. It was obviously old and very beautiful. It was a wonderful compliment to my sapphire and diamond engagement ring. I sucked in a breath and felt the burn of tears behind my eyes as he gently fastened the clasp and smoothed the chain.

I reached up and stroked the pendant. I could feel tears burning in my eyes again.

"Thank you, Tiernan. It is beautiful; I'm proud to be your sister and proud to wear this necklace."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I'm going to finish getting ready now. It'll be time soon."

He turned and left and I was again left to my thoughts. I was beginning to feel anxious and I was ready to see Emmett.

There was a knock at the door. When no one entered after a moment, I crossed the room and turned the knob. Before it had even swung all the way open, I found myself completely wrapped in the hottest arms I had ever encountered.

"Seth? Embry?" I squeaked, flabbergasted that my friends had come after all.

The werewolves pulled back from the embrace. Embry's wrinkled nose was hilarious.

"God, Bells, you stink like holy hell!" Embry barked out, Seth nodding in agreement.

"Yeah? Well you two mutts smell like old wet mops!" I retorted, laughing and thrilled to see them.

"You look beautiful, Bells. You're dad would be proud." Seth said softly, stroking a lock of hair behind my ear.

"I didn't think you guys would come…I mean, I'm glad you did. I've missed you both, but you know…mortal enemies and whatnot…"I stuttered out, flustered.

'We almost didn't, Bells. We were afraid you wouldn't be our Bells anymore, but the Keebler elf kept calling us and she sent us emails and basically refused to take no for an answer. So, here we are and glad to be here, too. You're still our Bells, even if you do stink!" Embry teased, not wanting to make me cry again.

Just as he finished his little speech, the "Keebler Elf" strolled into the room.

"Embry Call, if I hear you call me a "Keebler Elf" again, I hold you down and flea dip you! Now, Bella, are you ready? It's time," she trilled, excited for the pomp and circumstance.

I took her hand and followed Embry and Seth downstairs. They smiled at me as they went outside and took their seats.

Tiernan was waiting by the back door for me. He looked very handsome in his dark gray suit. He would be giving my away and he held his arm out to me. Alice and Rosalie had just finished gliding down the rose petal strewn aisle. As they took their places, I saw Alice nod slightly to someone outside my range of vision.

The first notes of the mystery song that Edward had been composing floated into the air. I tightened my grip on Tiernan's arm as I recognized it. Edward had written it for me. He intended it to be a wedding march. I was overcome with emotion and gratitude. Truly, none of us could have hoped for this level of acceptance. He winked at me, his eyes still somewhat shadowed, as he continued to play.

We slowly glided down the aisle. I tried to focus on the guests and the beautiful surroundings, but as soon as my eyes connected with Emmett's, I saw nothing but him. He was always an imposing figure. He was tall and broad. Everything about him screamed masculine, but today, it was even more pronounced. He looked happy and peaceful standing at the flower laden awning in his impeccably fitted tuxedo. Tiernan lightly placed my hand into Emmett's outstretched one and kissed my cheek, whispering in my ear, _Giorraíonn beirt bóther_; _Ta gra agam ort_, in his native tongue before taking his seat next to Rosalie. I made an internal note to ask what the translation was later, and then in a blur it was over.

"Emmett, you may kiss your bride!" Carlisle intoned with a grin quirking at the corners of his mouth.

Emmett scooped me into his arms, latched on, and swung me around before setting me back down giggling and flustered. He beamed down at me, dimples on full display. I tried to remember if I had ever seen him so happy before and was beyond pleased that his joy matched my own.

"It is my great honor to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. & Mrs. Emmett McCarty." Carlisle shouted, projecting over the loud applause and hooting werewolves.

The reception flew by in a blur of dancing and toasting. Seth and Embry graciously "wolfed" down all the food that Alice had seen fit to supply them with and an all around good time was had by all. It was nearing time for Emmett and I to leave the reception when Edward walked over and asked me to dance. I accepted and squeezed Emmett's hand reassuringly.

Edward pulled me gently to him and rested his hand lightly on my hip. We just danced for a few moments, neither of us ready to break the somewhat awkward silence.

"Bella, I wanted you to know that things are going to be OK. I still love you, I'll always love you, but I'm moving on. I can see that you're happy with Emmett and that he's happy with you. I love you both enough to leave you to each other," he trailed off, some sadness still evident in his tawny eyes.

"Oh Edward, you will always be special to me. You were my first love and now you're my brother. It's strange sometimes how life plays out. I want more than anything for you to find happiness, too. Let me go and find the person that's waiting for you." I replied, my voice soft and a little husky.

We danced in silence a few more moments before I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Maggie from the Irish coven. She was adorable in her light green strapless dress.

"Excuse me, Bella, but could I steal Edward away for a bit? He promised me a dance earlier," she asked with a grin, her soft brogue pleasant and charming.

"Of course, Maggie!" I replied with my own grin.

I leaned in a kissed Edward softly on the cheek and turned to find myself drawn into the strong arms of my husband once again.

I curled against his chest and sighed softly as he lifted me to stand on his feet like a child and began to waltz slowly to the music. It made me smile. He was just so damn big compared to me that it just made sense!

"Don't worry about him, baby. Look!" Emmett whispered in my ear, starting a shiver down my spine as his lips brushed the shell of my ear.

I glanced at Edward and Maggie dancing a few couples over and was happy to see that she looked quite happy nestled in his arms and he didn't look terribly upset to have her there. He glanced up and gave me a wry grin as our eyes met. Well, well, well, Edward Cullen had a new girlfriend it would seem. I returned his smile and turned my attention back to my lovely husband.

"Mmmm. Emmett, is it time to go yet? This has been a great party, but I'm ready to spend some time with just you." I whispered.

I felt his arms tighten around me and felt a sexy growl rumble in his chest at my statement. He scooped me up in his arms and to my embarrassment, shouted to the remaining guests,

"Thanks, everyone for coming to the party. Bella and I love all of you. Don't be strangers, OK? Right now, I'm going to go ravish my new wife, I'm sure all ya'll can understand!"

Had I still been human, I would have blushed ten shades of red, but I settled for popping him lightly on the back of the head, NOW I understand why Rose was always doing that, and smiled as demurely as possible at our laughing guests.

Emmett just grinned down at me with that same 1000 watt grin that used to make my human heart flutter and proceeded to carry me across the yard and into the woods.

"Um, Emmett? I love the great outdoors as much as the next vampire chick, but this dress won't like dirt or tree bark…" I commented, confused about where we were headed.

"Just a little further, Bella. Trust me, babe, you'll love it!" he replied.

A few moments later, there was a break in the tree line and a small meadow with a gorgeous log cabin materialized. A soft orange glow shone through the windows and a curl of smoke rose lazily from the chimney.

"Emmett, it's gorgeous! I never knew this was here!" I exclaimed.

"Well, baby, it wasn't here until two days ago. Me and the rest of the guys built it. It's ours, Bella. I bought the land from Carlisle and Esme. Jasper, Garrett, Tiernan, Peter, and I put the finishing touches on last night," he replied.

We had reached the front door now and Emmett turned the knob and carried me across the threshold of our new home. I was speechless as I took in the décor. It was all wooden logs and beams on the inside in a honeyed tone that reminded me of Emmett's eyes right after feeding. It was at once rustic and homey. In a word it was perfect.

Emmett gently set me on my feet and took my hand to show me around. There was a kitchen with stainless steel appliances that would come in handy when the pack came to visit, a huge great room with a stone fireplace and high beam ceilings, a small room set up as an office for me to write in, and another room set up for guests with a small connected bathroom. Leading me back to the great room, Emmett led me up the stairs to a loft that had been set up like a game room and took me through the doorway on the right into an enormous master suite with an attached bathroom. He stood in the doorway and just let me absorb the details.

I wandered over to the enormous king bed. It was dressed in comfy cotton sheets with a wedding ring design quilt in hunter green and burgundy. I gasped as I realized it was the same quilt I had admired at the fair in Anchorage on the first night we had been together. Emmett had come up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, laying his head on my shoulder.

"I called the artisan and she made this one for us since the other was only a queen size. Do you like it?" he murmured in my ear.

Turning my head, I kissed him softly. I marveled again at the tenderness he was capable of with me. He was loud and obnoxious at times, but lurking inside him was a loving and gentle man, too.

"Thank you, Emmett. I love it; I love you." I whispered against his lips.

"Help me out of this dress, OK? I want to get comfortable with you."

I'll never get used to the grace of my lumbering man, it's unexpected and wonderful in someone so enormous, but he spun me around to face him and began to nip, lick, and kiss my jaw and neck as his nimble fingers undid the buttons and clasps on my dress and lingerie.

I heard his breath catch as the dress fell away and pooled at my feet. I stood before him in just panties and white silk stockings attached to a lace garter belt. He took my hand in his as I stepped out of the dress and he walked me back to the edge of our bed and gently pushed me down onto it.

"Aw, Bella. God, baby, you are so beautiful and sexy!" he whispered huskily as he reached up and loosened his tie.

He bent down and kissed me again softly and tenderly before pulling back and walking over to the bathroom.

I heard him start the tap and realized he was running water for a bath. The thought of bathing with him and then making love to my husband made me throb in all the right places. I quickly stripped off the rest of my clothing and joined him in the bathroom.

He had his back to me as he added a steam of bubble bath to the water. He had removed his tux shirt and tie and stood barefoot in his tux pants. God, he looked like pure sex with the steam swirling in the air. I crossed over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist and quickly removed his pants. He turned to me and wrapped me in his arms, bending to kiss me once again. This time there was the hint of passion to come in his kiss; tenderness mixed in with the fiery passion.

I reached behind me to the countertop where I clicked on the Ipod that was docked. It was already cued to our favorite playlist as I took his hand in mine and led him to the now full tub. We sank into the hot water and I leaned back against his chest. I was home.

"_Giorraíonn beirt bóther - Two People Shorten the Road"_ Tiernan whispered in my head, before I tuned out everything except the feel of my husband's lips on my shoulders and neck.

FIN.

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AN – I'll post an epilogue to the epilogue with a mess o' lemonade soon.

**DON'T FORGET: The C2 that I help staff is hosting a contest, so please participate...it'll be fun! (Following announcement courtesy of Kitty Cullen-03)**

**Only the Best Jasper/Bella Presents:**

"**Everything's Bigger in Texas-a Jasper/Bella Fiction Contest!"**

**Categories are as follows:  
Best Darksper/Bella (When Jasper's naughty, everybody wins! Darksper stands for dark Jasper)**

**Best one-shot Jasper/Bella Lemon**

**Best lemon from Jasper/Bella story**

**Best overall Jasper/Bella story COMPLETE**

**Nominations will be taken for two weeks (ending August 4****th****) followed by two weeks of voting.**

**To nominate, please PM myself or one of the following ladies: Kitty Cullen-03, Jasper's Dark Angel, Jaspers Izzy, JaspersBella, JaspersDestiny or see the community-Only the Best Jasper/Bella. The link will be found on my profile. Story title and author's name, please!**

**Visit us on LiveJournal at: http:// jaspers_darlins(dot)livejournal(dot)com**


	25. The Fandom Gives Back

**Hi faithful readers! **

**I know we all hate random ANs, but this one is for a very good cause. I will be participating in The Fandom Gives Back auction that benefits Alex's Lemonade Stand (which raises money for childhood cancers, in case you hadn't heard). **

**I am offering a collaboration oneshot with Tilly Whitlock and a oneshot outtake from any of my stories per the winning bidders preference. So, this is your chance for a custom o/s from me. Want to see more Jasper/Bella hotness from Worth the Pain, The Hotel, or Beyond Angry? Need to get the scoop on Emmett and Bella's honeymoon from Anchorage is for Lovers? Need more Peter/Bella from Gateway to the Rockies? Going nuts over Sam and Bella in Hey There, Little Red Riding Hood? This is your shot to know more first! Both auctions are first come first serve (like buy it now on Ebay), so get there first for the best options. **

**The forum opens for bids today (15 Nov) at 10am EST and runs until 20 Nov. Please go to my profile for all the links and happy bidding! I look forward to writing for ya'll!**


	26. The Wedding Night

**AN: I've finally completed the Wedding Night. Make sure to send some thanks over to Clurrabella. If not for her buying me at auction (for The Fandom Gives Back) then this probably would have been even more delayed. I'd also like to thank mrsalreyami and Kitty Cullen-03 for their invaluable input.**

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters.**

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Previously on Anchorage is for Lovers:_

"_Giorraíonn beirt bóther – Two People Shorten the Road" Tiernan whispered in my head, before I tuned out everything except the feel of my husband's lips on my shoulders and neck._

*~*~*

I sighed contentedly as I relaxed into the warm water and Emmett's arms. I was finally where I was meant to be.

"Happy, Mrs. McCarty?" Emmett whispered, running his nose along the column of my neck and inhaling deeply.

"Yes... more than ever before," I mumbled in reply, completely relaxed in his arms.

My eyes were closed as I leaned my head back against his broad chest, a soft purr escaping as his strong hands rubbed circles into the water-warmed skin of my belly. There was nothing overtly sexual in his touch, but my skin seemed to sizzle electrically under his caress. His most innocent of touches never failed to set my senses ablaze.

Needing more contact with him, I pulled his lips down to meet mine and felt a rush of passion as he moaned into my mouth. He pulled away gently after a moment and kissed my pouting lips.

"Patience, Bella. I want to go slow tonight. It's not every day that I get to make love to my wife on our wedding night," he said with a grin, his dimples on full display, "I want it to last."

I felt tears prickle behind my eyes at his words and stroked his cheek softly, caressing his well-loved face as he continued his massage.

"I love you so much, Emmett," I whispered huskily, nuzzling into his chest again.

We remained locked in our embrace, exchanging loving caresses. We were content to stoke the fires of our passion for awhile longer before driving each other to completion.

I rocked my hips gently against his now hard length and relished his answering growl as he slipped against my slick skin. He retaliated by moving his hands to my full aching breasts and fondling my hardened nipples. As he rolled the pad of his thumb over the rosy peaks, I set a gentle, slow rhythm with my hips. It was not enough to push either of us over the edge too quickly, but it was intimate and pleasurable. The only sound in the bathroom was the water lapping against our stone bodies, the soft music of our playlist, and our panting breaths and soft moans of pleasure.

With a grunt, he turned me in his arms and settled me in his lap. I could feel every inch of him pressed against me, but he continued to hold himself maddeningly out of contact with my aching center. I whimpered softly and rubbed my hips against his trembling abs.

"Jesus, Bella…" he moaned, attacking my neck and collarbone again with kisses.

I jerked in his arms as I felt his teeth graze my sensitive skin.

"Mark me, Emmett. Please…I want everyone to know I belong to you," I gasped.

He looked up at me through his lashes and sensuously flicked his tongue out to taste the skin he'd grazed a moment earlier. I shivered; overwhelmed by his erotic stare as much as by the sensations he was creating.

"You can't bruise anymore, sweetheart. How would I mark you?" he replied, his voice husky with desire and his pitch black eyes shining with passion.

"Bite me, Emmett. Share your venom with me," I moaned, throwing my head back to grant him better access.

He licked my skin again before nipping it lightly. He twitched against my stomach where he was trapped between us and I knew the idea excited him.

"Bella, it will hurt you…it will burn almost as much as the change."

"I know. I don't care. I want this part of you, Emmett."

"Fuck, Bella…" he gasped, twitching again, "I'd do anything for you…but I will only do this if you'll do something for me in return."

"Anything, Emmett…anything…."I replied, pressing my lips over his still heart.

"I want you to mark me, too."

I nodded against his chest and he wound his hands into my hair, yanking roughly and licking a line from my breastbone to my jaw. When I whimpered, he growled savagely in response.

"I'm going to taste every inch of you when we finish here, Bella. I'm going to fucking devour you," he hissed, thrusting his hips and grinding viciously against me.

I was trembling against him as he released his hold on me and returned to his soft tender caresses as he rubbed soap onto a mesh sponge and began to cleanse my skin. I returned the favor for him, pausing to stroke his massive cock before moving on.

When the last of the soapsuds was rinsed from our bodies, he opened the bathtub drain and scooped me into his arms. He set me down on the plush rug and steadied my trembling body before wrapping me in a soft white terrycloth robe. He sat me down in the vanity chair as he quickly toweled himself dry and slid into a pair of dark green silk boxers. The obvious tent his arousal made against the luxurious fabric had me licking my lips in anticipation. He caught my action and smirked wickedly before stalking over to me and dropping to his knees in front of me.

He shoved the robe apart to expose my lower half to him and slid his hands slowly up the inside of my legs until he reached my thighs and spread them wide.

I cried out as his tongue delved into my slick folds and bucked against his probing fingers. He flattened his tongue and lapped the full length of my mound, pausing to tease my swollen nub before repeating the process. Just as my muscles began to twitch with my impending orgasm, he pulled away and kissed me deeply, pulling my robe back around me. I could taste myself in his kiss and a feral growl slid past my parted lips.

"Soon, baby. I'm going to give you exactly what you deserve. You're going to scream for me, Bella."

He stepped behind me and began to brush out my hair. Once he was satisfied that all the tangles were out, he pulled the blow dryer from one of the vanity drawers and slowly, carefully dried my hair, running his fingers through it often. The action was so relaxing that I was purring in earnest by the time he finished.

Once again, he gathered me into his arms and carried me to the bedroom. Setting me on my feet next to the dresser, he stripped me of the robe and tossed it in the corner.

He trailed his fingertips over my skin as he stepped around me and pulled back the bed covers.

"Light the candles, Bella," he murmured.

As I was lighting the last one, he encircled my waist with his arms and ground his erection into my ass. I blew out the match and spun in his arms to claim his lips again.

As the kiss deepened, he lifted me and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He walked us over to our bed and followed me down as his body covered mine. Emmett slowly slid down my body until his face hovered over my center. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and humming his approval, before continuing down to kiss the instep of my foot.

He wrapped one of my legs around his waist and began to massage my other, beginning at my foot. He rubbed and needed the muscles until they were loose and relaxed under his fingers. His hands slid up to my calf and began to knead the muscle. His eyes never left mine and were hooded with desire. When he was satisfied with my calf, he stopped and wrapped that leg around his waist before beginning again on my other foot and leg.

I could feel my arousal leaking out onto the sheets and could tell from the way he scented the air that he was fully aware of what he was doing to me without even touching my most intimate places.

"Bella…you smell so good. I won't be able to resist tasting you much longer…" he moaned softly, his eyes rolling back in his head as another wave of my arousal was released and permeated the room.

"Come here, baby…" I whispered, spreading my legs and offering myself to him.

I cried out as his tongue came in contact with my aching flesh and fisted my hands in his hair to hold him to me. I had never been so thankful that we didn't need to breathe.

He was sucking, licking and nibbling my folds forcefully, devouring me in an almost literal sense and I loved it.

I was riding the edge of my orgasm when he slid his thick fingers inside me. He pressed hard against my walls and continued his assault on my clit. He pulled his fingers from me as I tightened around them and replaced them with his tongue, his fingers continuing to caress and torture my abused bundle of nerves. My entire body was tense and trembling now with the force of my coming release and I was panting harshly.

"Come for me, Bella. I want to feel your tight little pussy clamp down on my tongue," he growled before thrusting deep inside me again.

"Fuck, Emmett…I'm coming!" I screamed, bucking against him as my orgasm ripped through me.

Emmett growled and swallowed against me, holding my hips in place with enough force to have bruised me had I still been human. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I began to calm down and relaxed under him with a contented purr.

He crawled back up to lay next to me and kissed me deeply. I reached between us and stroked his still very prominent erection.

"Well, Mr. McCarty, I'm very appreciative of your hard work. Lay back and let me repay the favor."

He shot me a dimpled grin, looking very pleased with himself, and rolled over to his back, tucking his hands behind his head.

"By all means, Mrs. McCarty, you can thank me in whatever way you see fit."

I smirked up at him and slid down his side until I was level with his straining cock. Flicking out my tongue, I tasted the beads of pre-cum that had gathered at his tip. I moaned at the sweet flavor and slid him fully into my mouth.

I had never been so grateful to not have a gag reflex! I felt him swell as I increased the suction and speed of my actions. Emmett tugged me up with a growl.

"Stop, babe. I want to come inside you. Get up here and ride me."

Emmett slid up to rest his back against the headboard. I smirked at him as I climbed into his lap and slowly impaled myself on his raging erection. I stilled as we became fully connected, my eyes rolling back as I relished the feeling of him filling me completely.

"That's right, Bella. It feels good doesn't it?" he moaned, wrapping his hands around my hips and thrusting up into me.

"Yes…so good…" I hissed, grinding down on him and setting a rhythm of my own.

I rode him slowly, knowing he was close to exploding and wanting to make it last as long as I could. He removed his hands from my hips and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him until our chests were pressed together.

He dropped his head down to the crook of my shoulder and began to nuzzle and nip at the tender skin there, while his hand slid up, following the curve of my spine, to rest between my shoulder blades. He supported me as I rocked against him, gaining speed as our need for each other grew.

"Bella, oh God, baby…you feel so fucking good…" he sighed against the skin of my neck, flicking his tongue out to taste me.

"Fuck, Emmett! Yes!" I cried out as he grazed me with his teeth again.

I felt him swell inside me and knew that his climax was imminent. With a roar, he sank his teeth into my shoulder, at the same time spilling inside me.

The pain was intense and I felt the burn of his venom as it flooded my system. Emmett immediately began to lap at the wound, sealing it and soothing the fire, even as his free hand snaked down between us to stroke me. I could feel every inch of him still buried inside of me, pulsing and throbbing, and when combined with the pleasurable sting of his venom and fingers, my own orgasm began to rip through me.

Remembering our earlier promise, I allowed my animalistic instincts to take over and I bit into the sweet flesh at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He growled deep in his chest as my venom pulsed into his system even as the last of his release pulsed into me. We were a completed circuit, both filling and fulfilling the other.

Utterly spent, we collapsed against each other, kissing our newly created marks and murmuring loving words to each other. Gradually, he softened inside me and, when he pulled us both down to lay panting against each other, slipped out of my depths.

I felt his loss deeply and sighed against his chest. His arms tightened around me in response and he kissed the top of my head gently. We lay quietly, both simply soaking up the time together.

Emmett sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking over to the massive closet along the wall.

"I almost forgot…I got you a little present, babe."

His voice was muffled as he shuffled around in the closet. I rolled to my side and propped my head up on my hand, content to see what he had come up with. He had a mischievous tone in his voice and, knowing Emmett, something good was coming.

After a few more moments, he emerged carrying an enormous mounted moose head. Well, fuck me!

"It's not the actual one that got you, but…well, I figured you might like a reminder…"he trailed off grinning broadly.

I dissolved into hysterical giggles on the bed. Only Emmett would think to commemorate the end of my mortal life…really…only I could be killed by a moose! My laughter was infectious and soon Emmett's loud boisterous laughter joined mine.

He hung the trophy on the wall and laid an exaggerated kiss on its nose before coming back over to the bed.

He dropped down beside me and threw his arm around my shoulders.

"So, I take it you like my present?"

"Absolutely, Em. It's perfect! Let's go hunt…and then I'll show you just exactly how much I liked the present," I replied, shooting him a suggestive smirk as I rose from the bed and started to pull on a t-shirt.

"No clothes, babe. If I'm going to hunt on my first night married to you, then you're going to be naked while we do it," he said with a wink.

I chuckled softly and dropped the shirt back into the dresser drawer. I took his outstretched hand and, together, we ran into the forest.

"Go first, Em. I want to watch you take down your prey."

He smiled his sexy dimpled grin and nodded in agreement. I watched as he scented the air and crouched down in his hunting stance. His muscles rippled and bulged as he set off after a heard of nearby elk.

I followed at a respectful distance, not wanting to set of his instincts to defend his kill. I perched atop a nearby boulder as he pounced on a large buck. I could see the muscles in his throat contracting as he took long pulls of the animal's warm blood, tantalizing rivulets escaping from the corners of his mouth and running down his defined chest. Holy fuck, that was sexy!

He looked up at me when a low growl rumbled from my chest. His eyes were pitch black in his excitement and I was reminded of how closely linked bloodlust and sexual desire were for us in this existence. He tossed the carcass away and answered my growl with one of his own. He tossed his head toward the rest of the scattered herd as if to direct me to my own meal, never breaking our hypnotic gaze.

I leapt from my perch and crouched down, closing my eyes and allowing my predatory senses to flow to the front of my consciousness. I stalked silently towards the remaining animals and chose my target. In the part of my brain not consumed with the hunt, I was aware of his eyes burning into me. I could feel his desire almost palpably in the tense night air. I leapt gracefully onto the back of a large cow and swiftly broke her neck before burying my teeth into her neck. I couldn't hold back my moan of pleasure as her warm blood spilled down my scorched throat. I drank in deep pulls, messily gulping the warm, thick liquid. Gradually, the flow slowed as her heart finally stopped and I pulled back with a soft moan and dropped the carcass.

I had just released my hold on the, now cold, animal when Emmett pounced on me. He was snarling loudly and pushed me roughly into the soft mossy forest floor. His predator was in full control at the moment and his ferocity awakened my instincts again.

He pulled my arms above my head and clasped my wrists together tightly in one of his massive hands before thrusting the fingers of his other hand into my waiting pussy. I snarled and bared my teeth at his domination, my inner monster both angered and turned-on by it. Bucking against his hold, even as a newborn of less than a year, I was no match for his strength at that moment.

He pressed his knees between my legs and spread me wide, fucking me in earnest with his fingers now.

"I going to fuck you now, Bella," he snarled, crushing his lips to mine and lapping at the blood I had spilled during my kill.

Ripping his fingers from me and burying himself to the hilt in one hard push, he moaned as I contracted violently around him. I drove my hips up against his thrusts, forcing him harder and deeper into me. Had I still been human, the force would have split me in two. As a vampire it was an extremely pleasurable pain.

With a final thrust, we clung together and cried out our releases. Emmett collapsed against me and I wrapped my arms and legs tightly around him. He pressed fully against me and kissed me deeply, the soft golden amber gradually returning to his eyes.

We were lying in a Bella-shaped indentation in the forest floor now and were both covered in mud. After a moment, he shifted to lie next to me. He tenderly brushed the hair out of my face.

"Holy shit, Bella! That was fucking amazing!" he exclaimed, pulling my wrist into his hands again and rubbing it gently, soothing the pressure from his earlier restraint.

"It most certainly was…we're definitely going to do this again, soon," I replied, picking a twig from his short black curls.

He leaned into my touch as I caressed his cheek, closing his eyes and purring softly.

"You are so amazing. I can't believe you chose me. I love you, Isabella," he murmured.

"There is nowhere I would rather be than in your arms, Emmett. You are my entire existence and I thank fate everyday for bringing us together," I replied fervently, tears that would never fall filling my eyes.

He pressed a soft kiss over the new scar on my shoulder and pulled me up. We made quick work of our carcasses and filled in the hole we had plowed into the forest floor. As the last bit of dirt was smoothed, Emmett scooped me up in his arms and took off running back to our home.

He carried me straight to the shower and we washed each other slowly and tenderly, pausing often to pick leaves and other bits of debris from our hair. We stepped out and dried off quickly. Emmett kissed me and stepped from the room as I began to brush through my hair. Once I was satisfied that all the tangles were out, I threw it up into a messy bun and secured it with a clip from the vanity drawer.

Deciding clothes were highly overrated, I padded over to the sliding doors that led to our deck. Dawn would be here soon; the night sky already beginning to lighten in the east. I sighed softly as the realization that our first night as husband and wife was almost at an end.

Emmett stepped out behind me and pulled me into his arms, wrapping us both in a large soft blanket. I recognized it as the comforter from his bed at the main house. It still carried his scent and I inhaled deeply as I allowed him to wrap me up in the comfortable, soft cotton.

"Don't be sad, sweetheart," he murmured, showing once again the sweet, tender side that only I got to see, "this is just the first night of forever."

It had been a long and convoluted journey to our happily-ever-after, but, wrapped up together on our own deck, I knew we had arrived.


End file.
